Lost in the Green Seas
by FlexRhysode1
Summary: Two years have passed since Naruto left for training. Two years since Sasuke left. Naruto’s coming back, stronger than ever and ready to bring back Sasuke. Everybody’s grown up and changed…including Sakura’s feelings for Naruto. NaruxSaku! Rated M!
1. Chapter 1

Lost in the Green Seas

**Summary:** _Two years have passed since Naruto left for training. Two years since Sasuke left. Naruto's coming back, stronger than ever and ready to bring back Sasuke. Everybody's grown up and changed…including Sakura's feelings for Naruto. NaruxSaku! Rated M!_

_NOTE: This is rated M for: Action, Violence, Blood, Language, and Death._

_I DON'T OWN NARUTO!!! What will I ever do? WAAAAAHHHH!!!!_

A/N: Hey guys! This is my NarutoxSakura Fan fiction! Obviously from the summary. But anyway. Please review! I love it when people tell me what they think of my work. This Fiction is based off of the Shippuuden series. Everybody's all growed up! Lol. Okay. So, I hope you guys enjoy. I will be waiting for reviews before posting the next chapter. I want at least two, please! Even if it's from one person, lol.

Here is a 'key' to things you'll be seeing in this story:

"Sakura-chan!": Regular speech

'_Stupid Pervy Sage!'_: Thought

"**Kyuubi Speech"**

: This Break line means a shift of time

-----------------------------: This Break line indicates a change of Character perspective

-------------: This Break line indicates a change of time and Character

(_Flashback/Dream_) (_End Flashback/Dream_): Indicates the beginning and end of a flashback or a dream.

_**Chapter 1: Konoha's Maverick Ninja Returns!**_

_(Flashback/Dream)_

_Sasuke was standing on a large wooden platform that held two other people, and he had a sword at his throat. The person who held the sword to his throat was none other than the S-Rank criminal and Sannin Orochimaru. The pale white skin sent chills up Sakura's spine. His grin was pure evil, and his tongue snaked and he licked his lips. Orochimaru had both hands extended away from his body, both hands holding swords. Sasuke was on Orochimaru's right, frozen with some Ninja Skill. The person on Orochimaru's left, with a blade at his throat as well, was none other than Naruto._

_Orochimaru's rasping voice addressed Sakura as she stood below them in front of the 7 foot tall wooden platform. "Choose carefully, Sakura." He hissed, chuckling. Naruto and Sasuke couldn't move, but they could talk._

_Sasuke spoke first, calm and sure. He wore his old clothing, but he was clearly more grown up. "Sakura…my purpose is over. I've killed Itachi…so my goal is complete. Save Naruto." He said, but Naruto yelled out to Sakura._

"_Sakura-chan! Save Sasuke! I'm not important, don't let Orochimaru have Sasuke again! Please…just choose him." Naruto yelled, and Sakura felt tears welling up in her eyes._

_Sasuke looked fondly at her, and he addressed Naruto. "Shut up, loser. You've always been there for her. She wouldn't live a happy life with me. You've always been there to protect her…while I pursued my selfish goals. I used up all my chances, so now it's your turn." He stared into Sakura's eyes. "Choose Naruto. Please. Save him…for me. I can't watch my comrades die…"_

_Tears flowed down Sakura's face but she still didn't say anything. Naruto yelled at her, his blue eyes flashing in anger. "Don't listen to him. I promised you that Sasuke would come back! I never go back on my word! Don't make me into a liar! Choose Sasuke and go back to Konoha! I can't watch my friends die…you guys are my only family! Sakura-chan, please…take Sasuke and run."_

_Orochimaru grinned evilly. "Hurry up Sakura, choose who you want to live and I'll let them and you go. But, if you can't choose, I'll kill you all." He hissed, drawing an angry growl from Naruto._

"_Sakura, you once told me you would do anything for me. Do this for me. Save Naruto…my goal is completed, but Naruto still has a dream to become Hokage. Do this for me." Sasuke said, softly._

_Orochimaru pressed the blades in his hands harder up against Naruto and Sasuke's necks and a thin trickle of blood dripped down each of their necks. Sakura stepped forward, but Orochimaru shook his head. "Choose. Now." He said._

_Sakura opened her mouth, tears flowing, and said, "I choose…I choose him." She raised her hand, and slowly pointed it at…_

_(End Flashback/Dream)_

Sakura's green eyes snapped open, and fear immediately flooded her body. She threw back the thin, white cotton sheet that she had been tangled up in, and sat up. She calmed her breathing, and used the bed sheet to wipe sweat away from her face. She ran her hands through her pink hair, and shuddered. She had been having this dream over and over for the past five weeks…every single night. She never got past the point where she raised her hand, so she didn't know who she picked.

She had already talked to Tsunade about her dreams when they began to affect her duties, but Tsunade hadn't been able to find anything wrong. She had suggested that maybe it was because Naruto was coming back soon and she was…conflicted in her feelings.

At first, Sakura angrily brushed off the comment that was obviously a probe to see what her feelings were for Naruto. But, then Sakura began to realize how much she missed Naruto. She missed him being such a knucklehead, how he used to try to ask her out, and she did not really like to admit it… but she actually missed his attention.

Sakura got out of bed, and immediately remembered something. She quickly switched on a lamp that was on a stand next to her bed, and her eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light. She looked the Calendar that was on her wall to the left of the vase, and gasped. Today would mark the exact day that Naruto left for training two years ago.

Sakura felt her fear leave her, and instead she got a strange sense of excitement. The feeling she would get whenever she saw Sasuke-kun…

Sakura shook her head, clearing away her thoughts. She walked to the bathroom, _her_ bathroom, and disrobed. As she started her shower, she remembered the day that she had bought her own apartment and left her parents. She still visited them, of course. However, the day she left her mother and father were both crying all over her, making exclamations of how big their baby was and how much they would miss her. The memories brought a soft smile to Sakura's lips.

She cleaned herself, getting ready for the day. She had to make it to Tsunade's office by 6:30, which left her an hour and a half to: get dressed, brush her hair, eat breakfast, brush her teeth, and then walk to Tsunade's office. She took her time, carefully grooming herself and making sure she was ready for today. As she finished her shower, dried off and started to choose what to wear, every time she looked at an outfit a thought would echo in her head. '_What would Naruto like best?_'

She shook her head, trying to clear the ridiculous thought and quickly threw something on. It was a sleeveless tee shirt version of what she used to wear, with dark forest green knee-length skin-tight shorts. She resembled what she used to be like, just more grown up, and still with her short hair. She had decided that she wouldn't let it grow out anymore, and that she would keep it shoulder-length.

She finished getting ready for the day by 6:15, which left her plenty of time to get to Tsunade's office. She smiled softly as her mind began to wander and her body went through the motions of locking the apartment, and walking to the Hokage's Office. Today…today felt special. She knew that somehow, something amazing was going to happen.

------------------

Two figures slowly walked through the woods of Konoha, not rushing or racing. One was an older man with long spiky hair that came down to the middle of his back, and the other was a young teenage man with messy and spiky blond hair. Patience was something that the blond-haired boy had learned over the few years.

They didn't hurry, but enjoyed the quiet of the afternoon. They were nearing the Konoha Main Gate, and the white haired man chuckled. "You're getting fidgety already." He said, addressing the boy. He didn't look at the boy, but kept his gaze straight ahead.

"It's been two years. I wonder how everyone is." The boy said, his Cerulean blue eyes watching his sensei's reaction. His teacher glanced at him, a smile on his face.

"Don't you mean you wonder how a _certain someone_ is?" He asked, and his eyes involuntarily strayed for a moment to the three whisker marks on each cheek.

Naruto grinned, and adjusted the big black backpack that was on his new black and orange jumpsuit. He then adjusted his black headband, and grinned. "Yeah, I guess so." He said, causing Jiraiya to nod. Jiraiya and Naruto had grown close over the two years, trusting each other. Although Naruto still called him 'Pervy Sage', a nickname he rightly deserved, they trusted each other with nearly everything.

Jiraiya and Naruto fell into silence, each remembering their past. It was a heavy silence, one that neither of them felt like breaking.

------------------

Sakura was walking down the main street of Konoha, running an errand for Tsunade. She was going to go collect the traffic report from the two on duty today, Kotetsu and Izumo. Tsunade was busy with other paperwork, so she had sent Sakura to fetch the traffic report and check if anyone or anything had come through the main gate.

Sakura was lost in a rare moment of thought, since she hardly had time to really think when she was busy with work. All she could think of were a pair of Cerulean blue eyes staring deep into hers, brave and not despairing. They were Naruto's from her dream.

Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice yelling, "Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan!"

She stopped walking down the dirt road and looked back, smiling as she saw three newly promoted Genin. Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi all ran up to her, bowing slightly.

"Good afternoon, guys!" She said, smiling.

"Good afternoon, Sakura-chan!" They replied.

Konohamaru was more grown up, but he still wore an oversized scarf and he wore the Konoha headband proudly on his forehead. He wore a pair of white pants and a green long-sleeved shirt. He no longer wore his weird hat, but let his spiky brown hair out free. He still had a roguish look.

Moegi wore the same everything, including her hairstyle. The only thing different was her height. She also wore the blue ninja headband on her forehead. Udon was just like Moegi. He was taller but he still had a runny nose, glasses, and the same kind of clothing. The only thing different was his blue ninja headband upon his forehead.

"What are you doing?" Asked Konohamaru, putting his hands clasped behind his head the same way Naruto used to.

"I'm going to pick up the traffic report at the main gates for Lady Tsunade." She said, and Konohamaru asked the question she knew he would. She didn't mind though, she loved their company.

"Can we come?" Konohamaru asked. Sakura nodded and started to walk with the three Genin in tow.

As they walked, Konohamaru and his friends related their latest mission to Sakura who grinned. They had chased Tora, the same cat that Team 7 had chased years ago. Apparently, he still ran away. Sakura giggled, and as they finished she said, "That's so nostalgic. We did that same exact mission years ago. Poor cat, he still can't get away from his owner."

Konohamaru chuckled, and then they drifted off into silence. She knew that her statement had caused them to remember Naruto. "So, Sakura-chan…any news on him? On Naruto-niichan?" Konohamaru asked quietly.

Sakura shook her head. "No. I haven't heard anything yet." She replied. Her reply put a damper on the cheery mood that they had first had, and they continued to walk down the main street towards the gate. They didn't have far to go.

------------------

Naruto and Jiraiya saw the giant 100-foot wall, with an open gate. Straight in view of the gate was the guard shack, where two Chunin guards sat and did traffic duty, marking who came in and who left. The two travelers noticed the two Chunin were bored, and knew that this would liven up their day.

Kotetsu, a Chunin with hair similar to a giant brown spiky afro and a facial bandage over his nose, rested his chin on the desk. He wore a black Konoha headband on his forehead. Izumo, his partner, sat back in the chair with a metal senbon needle in his mouth. He wore his blue headband as a bandana, which held his brown hair over his right eye. They both wore green combat vests, but neither looked very active at all.

However, once Naruto and Jiraiya passed into the Village, both Izumo and Kotetsu's eyes widened in shock. Izumo's senbon fell from his mouth and he whispered, "Hey…isn't that…?" He trailed off, and Kotetsu elbowed him.

"It is! It is them! They're back!" Kotetsu said excitedly. Naruto and Jiraiya never even stopped, they just kept walking. They didn't have far to go.

------------------

Sakura, Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi all saw the registration booth sitting in plain site of the gate. Sakura expected the two Chunin to be bored tremendously, but both were grinning and elbowing each other excitedly. Sakura walked up to them and smiled.

"Good afternoon Kotetsu-san. Izumo-san." She said, and Kotetsu grinned widely at her.

"Good afternoon, Sakura." Kotetsu replied.

"I've come for the traffic report for Tsunade-sama." She said, but Izumo acted like he did not even hear.

"You know…you just missed it. But, if you head into town, you'll undoubtedly see something amazing." He said, a strange grin on his face as he chewed on his metal senbon.

Sakura zoned out for a moment, and asked herself, "Could it be?"

Kotetsu's grin confirmed it for her, and she immediately ran towards the village. If she hadn't passed him on the main street, then he would be on one of the streets next to it.

Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon all ran after her, yelling her name. She didn't hear them, though. All she could think of was a certain blond haired, blue-eyed young man whose name tugged at her heart. _Naruto._

------------------

Naruto Uzumaki dropped his black backpack on the dirt street. Jiraiya gave a small confused grin, unsure of why they had stopped in front of a telephone pole. Naruto immediately ran vertically up the telephone pole, without any second thought or difficulty. Jiraiya laughed and called up to him as Naruto stood on the very tip-top of the pole.

"Hehehe! Getting excited already?" Jiraiya called up, and Naruto grinned back down at him, pure joy shining in his blue eyes.

His black ninja headband's loose cloth fluttered in the wind and his blond messy hair fluttered gently. He took a deep breath, spreading his arms wide as if he was going to fly. Then, he exhaled slowly, breathing in and out the scent of home.

"Watch out, Konoha! Naruto Uzumaki is back! I'm going to be Hokage, do you hear me!" He yelled, grinning crazily as he stared at the mountains with the five Hokage's faces carved into the rock.

He stayed there for a moment, before a breathless figure ran up to Jiraiya and then yelled his name. The voice sounded so familiar it immediately removed him from his reverie. He looked down, a name forming on his lips.

"Sakura-chan?" he called down, and he immediately saw the pink haired girl. He grinned and jumped off the telephone pole, and landed gently in a cat-like stance. He wasn't even slightly jarred.

He grinned as he straightened and saw the pink-haired beauty, and she smiled back at him.

"Naruto!" she exclaimed breathlessly.

"NARUTO-NIICHAN!" Three younger voices yelled in unison.

Naruto looked at the three young Genin running up behind Sakura and he grinned. "Konohamaru! Moegi! Udon!" He yelled back.

Konohamaru stopped right beside Sakura, hands balled into fists. "Naruto-niichan! I have been practicing! I've mastered the move!"

Suddenly, without warning, he disappeared in a puff of smoke and a nude female replaced him. Luckily, the smoke covered most of her, but you still got the idea. She had short brown hair that fluttered in a non-existent wind as she blew a kiss. Then, she disappeared and was replaced by Konohamaru.

Sakura was shocked by the perverted Jutsu that was Naruto's signature move. A vein throbbed in her temple and she was about to hit Konohamaru before Naruto spoke.

"Hehehe! Konohamaru! We are not kids anymore…we are older. I don't use that trick anymore, and you shouldn't either!" He chuckled, smiling gently.

Sakura was so surprised at what she heard she almost fainted. '_It looks like he's actually grown up and matured. Naruto…I wonder how else you've grown?_', She thought fondly, smiling at Naruto.

Naruto suddenly clenched his fists and yelled, "No! You see, I have a much better and even more perverted one! I call it: Ultimate Perverted Jutsu!"

Konohamaru yelled, "All right!" and Sakura's vein at her temple throbbed. She clenched her fist and punched Naruto, sending him flying through the air and then he tumbled onto the ground like a rag doll. Sakura stalked over to him, grabbed him by the shoulders and picked him up.

"Don't make me hate you in the first two minutes I've seen you in two years! You idiot! I thought you had grown up! No, you're still just a knucklehead!" She yelled, shaking him fiercely.

Jiraiya watched and chuckled, "You're like a mini-Tsunade!"

Sakura turned her evil glare to him, and he flinched. "I-I'm gonna go do some research!" He stammered, and quickly scuttled away.

Naruto watched his only hope of survival run, and he yelled despairingly, "JIRAIYA-SAN!" He weakly reached out an arm pleadingly to Jiraiya's escaping form, and then his arm fell weakly to his side.

Sakura let go of Naruto, and he collapsed to the ground in front of her. She then fixed her appearance back to normal, straightening her rumpled clothes, and glared at Naruto. "Naruto, why can't you just grow up?" She asked, planting her fists on her hips.

Naruto wearily stood, dusting himself off, and replied gloomily, "But Sakura-chan! That Jutsu is a distraction tactic that's saved me a lot of times from enemies! It always works!"

Sakura shook her head, and moved towards Naruto, Naruto flinched and tried to back up, but Sakura wrapped him up in a hug. Naruto stammered, "S-S-Sakura-chan?"

Sakura whispered into his ear, "Thank you for coming back."

She then stepped back and Naruto smiled softly. "Sakura-chan…once I make a promise, I never go back on it."

Sakura smiled as he said it, but her smile faded as she remembered her dream.

(_Flashback/Dream_)

"_Sakura-chan! Save Sasuke! I'm not important, don't let Orochimaru have Sasuke again! Please…just choose him." Naruto yelled, and Sakura felt tears welling up in her eyes._

_Sasuke looked fondly at her, and he addressed Naruto. "Shut up, loser. You've always been there for her. She wouldn't live a happy life with me. You've always been there to protect her…while I pursued my selfish goals. I used up all my chances, so now it's your turn." He stared into Sakura's eyes. "Choose Naruto. Please. Save him…for me. I can't watch my comrades die…"_

_Tears flowed down Sakura's face but she still didn't say anything. Naruto yelled at her, his blue eyes flashing in anger. "Don't listen to him. I promised you that Sasuke would come back! I never go back on my word! Don't make me into a liar! Choose Sasuke and go back to Konoha! I can't watch my friends die…you guys are my only family! Sakura-chan, please…take Sasuke and run."_

(_End Flashback/Dream_)

She snapped back to the present, hearing Naruto call her name. His hands were on his shoulders, and his blue eyes were filled with concern. Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon were watching from behind Naruto with concerned looks as well.

"Sakura-chan? Sakura, are you okay?" He asked, and Sakura nodded, forcing a smile.

"Yes. I'm sorry, I just zoned out…" She said, and Naruto nodded. He removed his hands, and Sakura was surprised at herself. She didn't really want him to remove his hands.

She cleared her throat and then smiled. "Um, Naruto…we need to take you to Tsunade. We need to tell her you're back."

Naruto grinned. "Ah! I can't wait to see Granny Tsunade! It's been awhile!"

Sakura shook her head, still smiling. "Naruto…you should really show her more respect." She said, and started to walk towards the Hokage Tower.

Naruto followed her, quickly slinging his backpack onto his back, and they walked in silence. Naruto felt awkward being around Sakura, especially after the hug she had just given him. After traveling with Jiraiya for the past two years, he had learned the 'art' of female and male interactions. He knew more than he would like to know, and he couldn't help but wonder if Sakura liked him. He shook his head, and thought, '_No…Sakura-chan is dedicated to Sasuke. I..I like her a lot, and I'll make her happy by getting Sasuke back. She won't like me…she can't. She's Sasuke's and Sasuke's alone.'_

Naruto was lagging behind, lost in thought, and Sakura noticed. His face was set in a determined look, and it had a look of sadness to it as well. She stopped, and said softly, "Naruto?"

He looked up, and immediately smiled. Sakura didn't know how she could tell, but she knew the smile was fake. It hid the sadness from her view, and at first she was going to ask what was wrong. But, then she decided she wouldn't…for his sake. "Yeah, Sakura-chan?" He asked. His fake grin was one that she had seen throughout the years, and she had never realized that it was fake. So he had been hiding pain this whole time? Hiding his sadness?

Sakura put as much warmth, care, and kindness into her voice as she could and said, "It's great to have you back home. We all missed you."

Naruto's grin faded, and he gave her a soft smile. "I missed you guys too." She turned, and she thought she heard him say softly, "_I missed you, Sakura-chan._"

Her eyes widened, and her heart beat faster within her chest. She knew…she knew now. He hadn't just always done things for himself, like going out and trying to bring Sasuke back. He had done it for her…to make her happy. Regardless of the sacrifice he would have to make, he wanted her happy. Sakura remembered when she had seen Kakashi carry Naruto through the Konoha front gate, and Naruto had a hole through his right shoulder. Naruto's eyes were filled with tears, even though it was hard to tell if was rain just splashing down his face she knew it was, and he looked at her in a dazed way. She had known he had failed, and she was angry at him for failing to bring back her Sasuke. She hadn't cared that Naruto had almost been killed in the process. She had been selfish.

Naruto still loved her, as he always had, and he would do anything to make her happy. Sakura's gaze strayed to Naruto's right shoulder, where Sasuke had pierced him with his Chidori. It had been healed, the flesh regrown and the bone reconstructed, and it didn't seem to trouble Naruto. But still, the wound he had suffered…to make her happy…made tears well up into her eyes. She turned away, not wanting him to see her cry.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, and walked forward as she started to cry. He put his hand on her right shoulder, as she started to shake from her sobs.

Sakura realized his _right_ hand was on her shoulder, and she gritted her teeth in anger. '_How could I have been so selfish? So…stupid? Why did I put him through that?_', She thought, and she honestly hated herself right then. She had always been so caught up on Sasuke, too blinded to see how much Naruto sacrificed for her. How much he loved her.

Naruto gently turned her around, but she tried to pull away. His grip was soft, but strong, and he held her by both shoulders to face him. "Sakura? Are you okay?" He asked, trying to see her face as she hid it in her hands.

She shook her head, and her frame shook with the strength of her sobs. She hated herself, absolutely hated herself for doing that to him. He had always been nice to her, always sacrificed his all for her, and she had always scorned him. She wanted to run, just get away from the boy who had showed her so much kindness…so much love. She tried to break free, but he wouldn't let her.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" He asked, and she finally looked up at him. His blue eyes were filled with concern, and she knew what he was feeling right now. He would do anything to keep her from crying, even if it meant having to be run through by Chidori again.

She hesitantly reached up, placing her left and right hands on the spot where he had been wounded two years ago. His gaze was curious, as she gently ran her hands over the spot. "This is where…_I _hurt you." She whispered.

Naruto was confused. "You never hurt me here. This is where Sasuke…" He trailed off, and Sakura fought back her sobs.

"No, Naruto. This is where my selfishness caused you harm…where my selfishness almost killed you." She whispered, and Naruto shook his head.

"What Sasuke did was his own decision…you had nothing to do with it." He said. Why was she blaming herself? Why?

"Naruto, if I had just let Sasuke go…you would have been fine. If I hadn't been so caught up in him, you would never have been hurt. We could have been fine…" She said, and Naruto didn't miss the emphasis she put on _we_. Was she actually saying what he thought she was saying?

Sakura gently took Naruto's left hand from her shoulder, and brought it to her cheek. His hands became wet with tears, but he didn't take away his hand. Both of their breathing became shallower, and she then brought his hand to her mouth and kissed his palm as she whispered, "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for every pain I've caused, for every wound I've made."

Naruto felt his heart beat stronger than he had ever known it to beat before. "Sakura…I…I…" He tried to say it. He was about to say he loved her, to tell her that he would do anything to keep her safe, to keep her from crying or from feeling sadness or pain. But, a movement caught his eye. Standing in the street, were a large number of villagers…with weapons. Naruto turned to them and quickly shoved Sakura behind him. She gave an exclamation of surprise as he moved her roughly, and she was about to clobber him when she saw why he had moved her. Twenty villagers stood with knives, pitchforks, staffs, spears, or just large wooden objects that could be used as a club. Those twenty were growing in numbers steadily, becoming a horde that started to yell obscenities at Naruto. They called him demon and bastard, but those were just the nicer names.

"Naruto! What's going on?" Sakura asked. The people didn't seem to notice her…just Naruto.

"Sakura-chan…go get Jiraiya and Granny Tsunade. Hurry." He said, and spread his arms wide and crouched a little, to protect her while she ran.

"Naruto? Why-" she started to say, but Naruto yelled at her. It wasn't as if he was trying to be mean, but there was an urgent tone to his voice. "Go!" He yelled, looking over his shoulder at her. His eyes flickered, switching from the deep cerulean blue to a dangerous animal-like red and back to blue again. The sight tugged at a memory in her mind, but it didn't release it. So, she ran.

Naruto watched her run, and he turned to the growing crowd…and he noticed the numbers had doubled. He was going to have to somehow fight off a horde of his own villagers…without killing or hurting any of them. At least Sakura-chan was out of the way…and she wouldn't see his inner demon. She wouldn't have to see his dangerous side. She wouldn't be hurt.

The crowd grew silent, and one man from the crowd stepped forward. He was a scraggly street-urchin looking man with dark black hair and an untrimmed beard. He was wielding a bat with bent nails impaled into the wooden surface, and he swung it threateningly.

"You, Demon Asshole! Who was that whore you were with? We're gonna beat your ass, and then find her and beat her!" He yelled, and the crowd roared with approval. Anyone seen with the demon, deserved his fate.

Naruto remained silent, but straightened. He stared at them, carefully calculating their numbers. They numbered well over fifty or sixty. Naruto cursed under his breath and said, "I'm not a demon! I'm Naruto Uzumaki…and someday…I'll be Hokage!"

The crowd laughed, brandishing their weapons. "No, fool! You'll be dead!" Yelled someone from the crowd. Naruto looked at them, and knew that there was no way he could hurt these people. They hated him, yes, but they were people he would have to serve as Hokage. Most of them still grieved over losses of loved ones who were killed in the attack twelve years ago…killed by the Kyuubi now sealed inside of him. Naruto didn't blame him, which is why he didn't move as the crowd surged forward. He didn't cry out when the first person swung their wooden club. He didn't shed a tear as a knife gouged and cut his arm, or a pitchfork prong buried itself into his leg or back. He took it, and didn't fight back…because he would never hurt the people whose loss he understood so greatly.

-------------

Sakura ran as fast as she could, heading straight for the Hokage Tower. She jumped onto the rooftops of buildings, creating an easier route, and targeted the giant wooden structure. She knew where Tsunade was, so she would find Tsunade first…and then find Jiraiya.

Sakura leapt over thirty houses before she came within range of the Hokage Tower, and then she leapt high into the air towards the giant building. She was aiming for a giant glass window that was the Mission Debriefing and Payment room, because Tsunade had a scheduled meeting with Shikimaru Nara there.

She flew through the air, and landed on the thin 4 inch window ledge. She saw Tsunade, Shizune, and Iruka addressing Kakashi, Shikimaru, Temari, and even Jiraiya. Kakashi waved at her, his one eye closed and curved to show he was smiling. Everyone turned and looked at the panting Sakura, and Tsunade quickly ran over to a smaller window to Sakura's right. She opened the window and asked, "Sakura? What's wrong?"

Sakura panted out, "It's Naruto!"

Everyone immediately ran towards the window to hear more. Jiraiya pushed his way to the front and confronted Sakura. "Tell me what's wrong." He demanded, and Sakura nodded.

"Naruto and I were on our way here…talking." She had to think about what they were doing, and she said talking, because it wasn't a lie. They had been talking. Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Kakashi all raised an eyebrow, like they knew what she was really doing. Sakura blushed, but continued. "Suddenly, villagers started to appear with clubs and knives and weapons. Last time I checked, twenty or so people had weapons, but more were coming. Naruto sent me to get you and Tsunade, and here I am."

Tsunade cursed. "You left him?" She asked, and Sakura almost yelled a reply, but Jiraiya held up a hand.

"She couldn't have known about him…and I should have foreseen the villagers reacting like this. We have to go now…everyone, lets go!" Jiraiya yelled, and clambered out the window. Tsunade, Iruka, Shizune Shikimaru, Kakashi, and even Temari followed him out the window. Temari was on a mission of goodwill between the Kazekage, her brother, and Konoha…but she remembered Naruto Uzumaki. Without Naruto, Gaara would never have been saved from his loneliness…and she would never have really gotten to know her brother. She owed Naruto.

"Lead the way Sakura…hurry." Jiraiya urged, and Sakura nodded.

She jumped back the way she came, followed by her friends. She ran fast, knowing that Naruto could be hurt. It took them five minutes to get to where Sakura and Naruto had been, and Sakura guessed that ten minutes total had elapsed for her trip.

They all jumped down to the streets, and found a horde of sixty bloodthirsty villagers beating something on the ground. Tsunade was the first to act, yelling, "STOP! STEP AWAY FROM THE BOY!"

The mob didn't notice, but kept kicking and beating the shape on the ground. Shikimaru quickly took the initiative and activated his signature Jutsu. "Shadow Possession Jutsu!" He yelled, and his Shadow quickly extended forward and attached itself to the entire crowd's shadows. Shikimaru grunted with the effort of restraining sixty villagers, but each villager froze. Shikimaru held them there, straining against the pressure of freezing sixty bodies. Tsunade yelled. "BACK OFF! Go to your homes now, or you'll have be arrested for the assault of a Konoha Ninja!"

One of the men jeered. "Big whoop. The Demon's almost dead anyway!"

Sakura took a step forward, knowing who they meant by 'the Demon', but she didn't know why they were calling him that. Kakashi stopped her, and quickly took out two kunai, and then raised his slanted headband to reveal his red three-comma Sharingan. Temari pulled out her fan, and Jiraiya quickly formed a swirling blue Rasengan in his palm. Kakashi spoke, his voice deep with the threat of death. "If you touch my comrade…I'll kill you." He said. The crowd stayed silent, and Temari unfolded her fan and held it in attack position.

"If you hurt the Kazekage's friend…you hurt my friend." She said, and prepared for the worst.

Jiraiya spoke, anger sounding clear in his voice. "If you slime touch my pupil…you'll face the full fury of the Toad Sage!"

Iruka quickly summoned a giant throwing star using a scroll, and stepped forward. "Get away from Naruto!" He yelled, drawing his shuriken into throwing position.

Shizune simply slipped into a fighting stance and yelled, "Get away!"

Tsunade, the last one, stepped forward and yelled, "If you lay a finger on him…you'll bring all of Konoha's Ninja down on you. I rule this village, and you respect my rule. Go home…or suffer the consequences."

Shikimaru's Shadow Possession wavered, and he withdrew his Shadow. The mob scattered, dropping their weapons and running away from the seven ninja before them. They left all their weapons, and their victim, lying in the dirt.

All the ninja put away their weapons, and Kakashi lowered his headband. Sakura ran forward to the battered and bloody shape of Naruto. His blue eyes were cloudy as he stared up at her, and Sakura immediately burst into tears at the sight of Naruto. Blood poured from countless holes, cuts and gashes, from areas where he had been pounded on by blunt objects, and lastly…from when he coughed. Naruto coughed, sending blood onto the dusty road, and the dirt road soaked up the red substance.

"Oh my God...what did they do to him?" Temari asked in horror, and Sakura knelt next to Naruto. She gently lifted his head onto her lap and cradled it as he stared up at her. "S-s-sakura-chan?" He stuttered, smiling up at her.

Everyone ran forward, and Naruto recognized them. "Shikimaru…you lazy oaf…you look grown up. Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-sensei…I missed you guys. Shizune…Tsunade…how's it going. Temari? Temari…how's Gaara? How is he?" He looked at everyone with eyes that were slowly glazing over, and everyone tried to smile down at him.

"S-S-Sakura-Chan…I…I wanted to tell you something before I was…cough…interrupted." He stammered, and Sakura gently placed her hand on his face. Tsunade and Shizune immediately place Chakra-covered hands on Naruto to try to heal some of the wounds, but left Sakura alone. She would be the only thing to keep Naruto's attention.

"What? What did you want to tell me?" She asked, crying. Tears dripped onto Naruto's face…and his happy smile turned into a sad one.

"If…only you…could stop crying. I would do anything to keep you from feeling sadness…pain…to keep you happy…I would do anything." He said, and it obviously became a struggle to speak. Naruto gagged on blood, and spit it up. Sakura cried gently, and said, "Come on, Naruto! Stay with me…you promised me…you promised you would bring back Sasuke. That way…we can all be a happy family." She cried, and Naruto nodded, serious.

"Yeah…I don't lie. I have to bring back Sasuke…for you, Sakura-chan. To make you happy. I would do anything to make you happy…because I…." Naruto spoke, but trailed off. Shizune and Tsunade were frantically healing wounds, but Naruto was gently slipping away. Kakashi even joined in, focusing his Sharingan on a memory of his old teammate Rin who was a medic Ninja. He focused on her hand-seals, and he mimicked them. His hands glowed green, and he quickly placed them over Naruto's heart. He turned to Sakura and said, "As long as I have Chakra…this will keep his heart beating."

Sakura nodded, and quickly turned back to Naruto. "Naruto…what did you need to say?" She asked, doing her best to keep him with her.

Naruto smiled at her, his deep blue eyes meeting with her pale green ones. "I…I…I love you." He said, and Sakura nodded. She knew…she knew.

"Naruto…I love you too. You've always protected me, sacrificed for me…please. Stay with me, just a bit longer! Talk to me!" She screamed as his eyes started to close. His eyes briefly snapped open, and he saw Sakura crying. His face became disappointed and he said, "I don't want you to cry…Sakura…"He said, and he raised his right hand to her face and wiped away some of the tears.

Shikimaru, Kakashi, Iruka, Temari and Jiraiya were watching silently. They felt awkward, watching and listening to Naruto's profession of love. Iruka had a soft, sad smile as tears ran down his face. Tsunade and Shizune were both aware of the profession of love, and Shizune was gently crying as she healed Naruto's wounds. Tsunade spoke gently. "He's lost a lot of blood…a lot."

It was true, the ground around them was soaked with his blood, and the wounds that they hadn't attended to were bleeding freely. Tsunade turned to Iruka. "Iruka, go get a medical crew. We're going to need more than Me, Kakashi and Shizune. Hurry."

"Hai!" Iruka yelled, and immediately jumped to the rooftops, running in the direction of the hospital.

Kakashi's Sharingan was still revealed, and suddenly it started to spin. "WAIT!" He yelled, and Iruka immediately came back. Jiraiya slipped into a fighting stance, and Sakura looked strangely at Kakashi as he stepped away from Naruto.

"Kakashi-sensei? What's wrong?" She asked, and Kakashi said slowly, "Everyone move away from him…now."

Tsunade and Shizune immediately backed off, and Naruto's eyes finally closed. Sakura felt Iruka pull her away from Naruto, and she noticed Iruka had his giant Shuriken out again. Temari had her fan out, and Shikimaru had his 'Rat' seal prepared for his shadow possession.

Sakura, half-blinded by tears, then noticed why everyone was on guard. An orange Chakra started to pour out of Naruto's wounds, engulfing his body. Tsunade spoke, openly fearful. "He shouldn't be dead…we stopped most of the bleeding, and he shouldn't have bled out in this short of a time. Still, there's no mistaking that Chakra."

Sakura suddenly remembered when she had seen this exact Chakra…it was at the Chunin Exams when Naruto faced Neji. Except, now this Chakra seemed evil. It was tainted, coated…with an ancient and evil anger. The Chakra floated above Naruto's body, and it seemed to create a wind by itself. Everyone's hair and clothing fluttered in the violent wind that suddenly sprung into existence, and they all watched in horror as a grinning evil fox face formed from the Chakra.

And, for the first time in fifteen years…the Kyuubi spoke to others. "**Hahaha! Freedom…finally I have a chance! The boy's seal is weakening, now as he stands on the threshold of death! My freedom is eminent, even as we battle our wills for dominance…for I can assure you: My will is stronger. Hehehe! Prepare yourselves…you fools! Your doom is inevita-what!?**" The Kyuubi's deep, menacing voice growled out his words with as much killing intent as possible. However, he became surprised and the killing intent that flooded everyone's body lessened. The Kyuubi obviously struggled against something, and Sakura knew what it was.

"Naruto…he's fighting back." Sakura whispered, as she wiped her tears away.

Kakashi nodded, and Sakura stepped towards Naruto, and Iruka tried to hold her back. However, Sakura just looked at him and said, "He needs our support. I'm going to give it to him."

Iruka lessened his grip, and Sakura walked up to Naruto's orange-shrouded form. "Naruto…don't you dare give up on me. You knucklehead, if you love me so much…don't leave me. Don't you dare." She said, and knelt by him. She pressed her lips to his, and the orange Chakra swirled faster and faster while hissing with anger. The Fox looked down on Sakura, and growled in anger.

"**Stupid wench! Get away! Stop!**" He roared, and it just gave her more courage to continue kissing Naruto. Kakashi stepped forwards with Iruka and encouraged Naruto.

"Naruto! You've made me proud. You're an amazing young man, and everything you've done has made me respect you. Fight back, show the Kyuubi who's really the boss!" Kakashi encouraged, lowering his headband, showing that he knew he wouldn't need the Sharingan. He had faith in Naruto.

"Naruto, you're like a brother to me. You're my family, so don't you leave now! You've shown persistence, and you have an iron will. Use that will! Force back the Kyuubi!" Iruka shouted, and everyone else joined in.

Temari's seemed to have the most effect. "Naruto! Gaara told me how you wanted to be Hokage, and he has faith in you. He's already Kazekage, you know! If you don't stick around, what kind of person would you be to break your promise to him?"

The orange Chakra flickered, losing strength, and Iruka smiled. "The will of Fire. You're at your strongest when you fight for those whom you love. He's winning. The Kyuubi will lose." He said confidently.

Sakura withdrew from Naruto, strong and defiant of the Fox. "Naruto…come back to me!" She said, and with a final flicker, the orange Chakra died.

The wind that accompanied the Chakra vanished, and Tsunade immediately ran up to Naruto's form. All his wounds were healed, and all the blemishes on his skin vanished. His clothing was torn and tattered, but he was alive and fine.

"We have to get him to the hospital, all the same. Quickly, Shizune!" She said, and hefted Naruto over her shoulder. She held a single hand seal, and then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Shizune followed suit, and disappeared, leaving everyone else in the streets…thoughts concentrated on Naruto.

Here's the end! Yaay! Let me know whatcha think! If I should continue the story, if I should stop it, what. Flame if you want, but review please!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks a whole bunch for your reviews, guys! It passed my expectations. I expected only two, and you guys gave me so many more! Thanks! I'll address a few of the reviews, just because I can. ;-)

FIRST OFF: I never planned to make this into a one-chapter story, believe me. Even if I had gotten just one review, I would have done another chapter, just because I hate leaving a story unfinished…though two of my other stories have not been updated for some time due to lack of reviews and motivation. So, don't worry. It won't even end after this chapter. It will definitely be longer, so do not worry!

Krymsom: I honestly hate SasuSaku ones, just because even as Sakura matures, she would hopefully get over that prick, unless Sasuke changes further in the story. Sorry, but I get ticked at SasuSaku. She might not be able to quit him cold turkey mind you, and there might be some signs of affection, but there is no way that I would let her run off with Sasuke…not unless she came back to Naruto. ;-)

Shintenshin no Jutsu: First off, I enjoy your name. The 'Mind Body Switch Skill' used by Ino Yamanaka. Cool. Thank you, and I realized it was a bit overdone, but I figured it would be best…because it shows Naruto's dedication, as well as showing just because Naruto was gone doesn't mean people stopped hating him.

'Person': The anonymous reviewer whoever you are: I just said it was BASED on the Shippuuden series. I never said I would stick to it to the letter. Thank you, though. I appreciate the review.

To everyone else: I am not going to stall you any longer. Thank you for your reviews, encouragement, and overall awesomeness. ;-) Thanks, and I hope you continue to leave such awesome reviews. If you ever have any questions, comments, or even snide remarks (I cannot believe I'm leaving myself open for that, but oh well.) drop me a pm or just leave it in review. I will reply to the reviews each chapter! So, thanks and enjoy! YOU GUYS ROCK:D

_**Chapter 2: **_

Naruto Uzumaki was lying on the white cushiony hospital bed, unconscious. His clothing and headband had been removed, and he was in a simple blue-green hospital gown and most of his form was covered by a soft white hospital bed sheet. His blue eyes were closed, and his face seemed peaceful. The room he was in was large, by special request of the Hokage.

Said Ninja was standing next to Naruto, carefully filling out a medical info sheet. She was glad that Naruto would pull through. More than glad. The sudden burst of Kyuubi Chakra had healed all of Naruto's internal and external wounds. Everyone who had previously been on the street to fend off the villagers was in the large room that Naruto had been put in, sitting in chairs and reading books or magazines. Jiraiya was standing next to the window, staring out at the splendid afternoon view of Konoha.

"By all rights, he should be awake now." Murmured Tsunade, and everyone had heard her. They looked up, concern visible on their face. Especially Sakura's.

Jiraiya's face was drawn into a frown and he shrugged. "He's always been a late-riser. He would sleep through almost anything…until the sunlight hit his face. But…maybe his mind is keeping him asleep to deal with the trauma he just dealt with." He suggested, and Tsunade nodded.

She absent-mindedly went to fidget with her necklace, the one she had given Naruto years ago, but she realized it wasn't there. The necklace was currently around Naruto's neck, and she smiled fondly at him.

Kakashi spoke from behind his Make-out Paradise book. "Tsunade-sama…that was the biggest mob of villagers who attacked him in the past thirteen years, and I think that he needs the sleep. Did you see the weapons used on him, the weapons that littered the street?"

Tsunade shrugged slightly. "I saw a few clubs, a few knives." She said, and Kakashi sighed and closed his book.

"Pitchforks, bats, garden hoes, glass bottles, regular silverware, axes, and wooden rods…even a set of spiked brass-knuckles. He was beaten, and I don't think even the fox Chakra could completely heal him. His body is reacting to the stress…and it might take a few hours tops for him to wake. The Fox is probably still healing the wounds that we can't see." Kakashi said, and Sakura finally sighed.

"Okay…I give up. I know some things, but you guys keep mentioning the Fox. The being made of Chakra, the one above Naruto when he was dying, was in the shape of a fox. What was it, and how was it battling for dominance on the inside of Naruto? The Villagers kept calling him demon…and you keep saying 'The Fox'…and Iruka even said the Kyuubi. What in the world is everyone talking about?" Sakura asked, and the adults in the room exchanged glances.

Shikimaru sighed loudly, but Temari sat forward in her seat. "I think I get it, just from the information you've just said, Sakura." Shikimaru said, and everyone raised an eyebrow at him.

"Correct me if I'm wrong…but the Kyuubi isn't dead, is it? The Fourth Hokage never killed the Fox, but somehow Naruto has been sealed with the Kyuubi inside of him all these years. I don't have enough information to complete the entire analysis, but Naruto can call on the Demon's Chakra…I saw it at the Chunin Exam all those years ago." Shikimaru said, and Temari raised an eyebrow at him.

Jiraiya sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "You guys will have to ask Naruto. It's his decision to tell you, not ours. What I can tell you, is that it hasn't been easy for him. He hasn't told you anything…because of his past. When people know his burden, they push him away most of the time. They shun him."

Sakura stood, and said determinedly, "I don't care what it is! We're his friends, and we won't abandon him."

Tsunade smiled at her apprentice, and looked down at Naruto, to see a small tear roll down the side of his face. His eyes were open. The deep cerulean eyes expressed gratitude as well as sadness. Tsunade smiled at him and then quickly put up her gruff façade. "About time you're up, baka! You had everyone worried!" She frowned and put her hands on her hips, and Naruto smiled.

Everyone stood, and immediately gathered around Naruto. He raised himself up easily, and Tsunade gave him a warning, "Be careful! You may heal like crazy, but that beating you took…you don't want to overstress your body."

Naruto nodded and rubbed his head sheepishly. "Heh, okay, Baa-chan."

Tsunade about clubbed Naruto over the head with her fist, but Shizune laughed nervously and held Tsunade back. "Just like you said, Tsunade-sama! He's recovering!"

Kakashi waved at Naruto and said, "Yo!"

Naruto grinned widely and said, "Kakashi-Sensei! How ya' doin?"

Kakashi chuckled and shrugged. "I'm doing fine."

Everyone smiled and started to catch up on what had happened in the past few years, and Temari told Naruto, "You know, Gaara's Kazekage now."

Naruto's smile froze on his face. "What? G-Gaara? Kazekage? No way!"

Temari nodded and grinned. "Yeah, it was hard work, but he did it."

Naruto sighed, and rubbed his head. "Man. I'll have to catch up fast!" He said, and Sakura smiled at him.

He smiled back at her, and a slight blush crept over his face. Sakura blushed slightly, and the adults exchanged knowing glances. Apparently, Naruto remembered everything that happened outside his body while he was struggling for dominance.

Naruto's smile softened into a tender gaze, and Sakura met his eyes. The room quickly burst into chatter, talking among themselves to appear not to be staring. "Sakura…thank you." He said softly, and she nodded back.

He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed his mouth when nothing came out. He glanced around the room and sighed. He had been awake when Sakura had asked about what the adults were talking about, and he felt that he owed his friends an answer, even though Shikimaru knew most of the answer.

"Guys…" He said softly, and everyone looked at him in curiosity

"I…I'm going to tell you the answer to Sakura' question." He murmured, and everyone turned to him and gave him their complete attention.

Jiraiya gave him a nod of encouragement, and Naruto gulped. Shikimaru actually paid attention, forsaking the clouds floating in the blue sky. Temari watched Naruto with interest, and Sakura leaned forward. Tsunade sighed and exchanged glances with Kakashi and Jiraiya, and Shizune gave Naruto a sad smile. Naruto looked into Sakura's green eyes, eyes that captured and calmed his soul. The soft green eyes were filled with sympathy, curiosity, and kindness, and he knew he had to say it.

"You wanted to know why I was treated like I was, and why everyone kept referring to 'The Fox'." He spoke so softly, it was almost a whisper. Naruto looked down at the covers, and started to fidget with the white material.

"Shikimaru…you guessed right. The Fourth Hokage never killed the Kyuubi. He summoned the Death God, using the same technique the Sandaime did when he died. However, the Kyuubi's soul was too large and strong to completely kill, so the Fourth used an infant and sealed the Kyuubi inside that infant. That infant…was me. I never knew this…until Mizuki told me and tried to get me to give him the scroll of sealing years ago. I never knew why I had always been chased and beaten and hated by everyone…until that night. That was the same night I learned the Kage Bunshin skill. I am the container of the Kyuubi…and I can use his power and Chakra. Sometimes I go under his influence…when I'm consumed by rage and by bloodlust. If I die…he dies, so he supplies me with his power. But…at the instance in the street, I was not dead. The seal weakened because I was on the border of death, and he managed to open the gate a slight bit. I closed it, thanks to you guys, but if I hadn't he would have controlled me and then broken free of my body." Naruto spoke slowly, and looked up at Temari.

"I…am like Gaara." He said, and Temari nodded. Sakura and Shikimaru nodded in understanding, and Naruto braced for the worst.

What happened, however, was far from 'the worst'. Sakura walked over to his left side and hugged him, resting her head on his firm shoulder. He smelled the scent of a cherry blossom shampoo in her hair, and he enjoyed it. She whispered, "Naruto…thank you for telling me this."

He nodded, and felt a slight graze on his cheek, a feathery kiss that made his heart beat harder. He knew, he remembered as if he was watching outside of his body, that Sakura had kissed him full on the lips. But, he had not felt anything that happened to his body, he only saw it. He could only imagine how her soft lips felt when pressed against his, and he desperately wanted to lock her in a kiss now. But, in front of all these adults, in front of his friends…he had to stay in control.

But he kissed her back, subtly, just grazing his lips on her cheek as she drew away. She gave him a look that was both of affection and surprise, and pleasure. She winked at him, causing him to grin, and Jiraiya knew. He grinned, a Pervy look on his face. Naruto immediately glared at the old man, and Jiraiya laughed, only to be conked on the head by Sakura and Tsunade. Jiraiya collapsed to the ground with a lump the size of a softball.

Kakashi watched with worry, and Shikimaru sighed. "Well…not to underplay your power and the power of the Kyuubi, but why weren't you able to bring back Sasuke all those years ago if you could call on his power?"

Everyone grew silent, and worry appeared on all the adult's faces. They knew how sensitive Naruto was about that. He bowed his head and Sakura felt a sense of depression, for once not about Sasuke leaving…but for Naruto. Naruto had tried his best, he had almost died…and Naruto believed he wasn't strong enough. She could tell.

"I…I'm stronger now. I could only go into a one-tailed state before, under the control of the Kyuubi. Now I'm different, and I've grown stronger and stronger with better Jutsu." He said, and he looked up. He wasn't sad, but he was angry and determined. "As I promised Sakura-chan…I won't fail! I _will_ bring back Sasuke, even if it kills me! Once I make a promise, I never go back on it!" He yelled, and Shikimaru only raised an eyebrow at the angry outburst.

Naruto's fists were clenched, and Jiraiya walked stepped to Naruto's side. He put a hand on Naruto's shoulder, and said, "Naruto…you _are_ strong enough to bring back Sasuke. You know it, as well as I do. Don't worry."

Naruto nodded, pushing back his anger. He unclenched his fists and sighed. "I know." He muttered, and everyone was silent for a while.

"Tsunade…can I go?" Naruto asked, looking up at said ninja.

She nodded and said, "Yes…but you will be leaving with Sakura and Kakashi. You're to spar with him so he can assess your skills."

Naruto pumped a fist rapidly in the air and quickly became his hyperactive self. "BOO-YAH!" He yelled, and everyone chuckled.

"Meet me down at the hospital entryway once you're checked out, Naruto. Then we'll go to the field where the assessment will begin. Okay?" Kakashi said, and Naruto nodded.

"Let's go, Sakura. We all need to go so Naruto can get decent." Kakashi said, and Sakura nodded. "Wait, Kakashi-sensei! I have a present for you!" Naruto yelled, and pointed at his backpack next to Jiraiya. Jiraiya knew what it was, and grinned, pulling it out of the pack.

Jiraiya handed Kakashi a novel, signed by himself. It was the Brand New book, not even in stores yet, in the series of Icha Icha Paradise. 'Make Out Tactics' was the title.

Everyone left, waving farewell and saying that the rookie nine would have to get together and have a reunion party. "Thanks guys!" Naruto said, waving. Everyone left as a single crowd, chattering and laughing…but Sakura stayed behind. Naruto watched her with a smile, a smile that was not real. He was awkward, and she could tell.

She quickly shut the door, effectively keeping anyone from eavesdropping on them. She crossed the space between them quickly, and sat on the edge of Naruto's bed. She was on his left side, and he turned slightly to face her.

"Naruto." She said, looking at him.

"Sakura?" He asked, confused.

Her green eyes were unreadable, but they sparkled in the light. The gentle green texture of her iris was like a green sea, peaceful and beautiful…perfect. She smiled, and said, "Naruto…you've always felt like that towards me, right?"

He immediately knew what she was talking about. How…how he loved her. He nodded, blushing, and she blushed slightly as well. "You always sacrificed yourself for me, rescued me whenever you could, and I always turned you down and looked at Sasuke. Why do you still feel like you do towards me? I don't really deserve this kind of dedication." She said, and Naruto turned serious. It was amazing how serious he could be when he wanted to.

"You do deserve it. You're the most perfect girl I've ever seen or met." He whispered, and Sakura looked down.

"Well, then you must not have met a lot of girls." She said, and he knew once again where she was going. She considered it her fault for him getting hurt for her wishes…like him being pierced with Sasuke's Chidori.

Naruto removed the covers, and stood, completely re-energized and strong. He didn't mind the fact he was in a hospital gown, but he looked at her, standing in front of her. He boldly took both of her hands in his, and was amazed at the softness of her hands, but he continued to say what was needed. "Sakura. You are the most perfect person I have ever met. Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone gets blinded by their desires…but you cannot take the blame for when I get hurt. You're wonderful like that…but you know, it was Sasuke's decision. You were younger and you had eyes for Sasuke, and tried to stay loyal to him. That sense of loyalty is another amazing quality about you. I promised you I would bring him back…and I still intend to do that, and you can't hold yourself responsible for anything that he does or any wounds I get. There's no sense in you worrying yourself." He said, and Sakura was amazed at how strong his grip was, even when it was gentle.

He leaned closer, bringing her hands up to his chest, right on his heart. She could feel the thumping of his heart, and she was surprised it matched the rhythm of her heart…fast. They were close, and she knew what was going to happen, and she did not fight it. She closed her eyes and her lips touched his, just for a moment. "Sakura…my heart is yours to do with what you will. I'll always be there for you, and I'll do whatever you say. You are everything I've ever wanted or needed, and I want to be that same thing for you. To be there to keep you from crying…from worrying." He said, and Sakura could feel both of their heart rates increase in speed.

"Naruto…kiss me again." She whispered, looking deep into his cerulean eyes. They closed their eyes and he obliged her. They kissed, passionately, and Sakura murmured between kisses, "I…I love you. Always."

She released her hand from his grip, and instead held his. She moved his hands to her own chest, right above her heart. He wasn't groping her, or touching that part of her at all, but he could feel the strong heartbeat. "I was misguided for a long time, Naruto. But, I know now that my heart is for you. Forever and always." She whispered, and she was surprised that she let him lower her down onto the hospital bed. They joined in a kiss, and she was surprised once more at herself. She was almost angry at her reaction, but at the same time…she knew he at least deserved this for all the years she had scorned him. She had wrapped her legs around his waist as he leaned over her, bringing their bodies together. Naruto removed his hands from Sakura's chest and moved his right hand to run his fingers through her soft pink hair. His left hand placed itself lightly on her leg that was wrapped around his waist, neither seeming too personal or too withdrawn.

Naruto was surprised at himself as well. He had never known this kind of contact before, but his body reacted all by itself. He just gave into the stunning kisses and let his body react freely. Naruto regretted what his body did next, because he let it. His mouth opened slightly while they were kissing, and gently traced Sakura's lips with his tongue. They both froze, opening their eyes. He was about to back off and release himself from her intimate hold, when she raised an eyebrow and whispered, "That was new."

He grinned at the same time she did, and she raised her arms and rested them on his shoulders and wrapped them around his neck. She gently drew him to her, persuasive but soft and they continued. They were lost in the moment, giving their bodies free-reign, both having never experienced this kind of contact but both doing exactly the right thing.

Naruto moved his kisses from Sakura's lips, down to her soft neck. He could feel her pulse pounding, and she sighed in contentment as he gently kissed the soft white skin. Her right hand gently ran though his messy hair, and her left hand began to softly caress his back.

It seemed to be a bit late for the question, but Naruto decided to ask anyway. "Sakura-chan? Will you…be my girlfriend?" He asked, and gently nibbled at her collarbone, hardly leaving any mark.

She ran her fingers through his blond hair and brought his head up so they could look each other in the eyes. "Yes. Yes, my Naruto-kun." She murmured, and they pressed their lips together, Naruto's excitement redoubled. He had never heard Sakura address him with the 'closeness' and endearment that the suffix '-Kun' represented. She had always said, "Sasuke-kun", but never "Naruto-kun".

Sakura sighed, a wistful and longing sigh, and she whispered from between the kiss, "Naruto…we have to go now. If we stay too long…we could get in trouble."

Naruto growled in frustration, and Sakura felt the vibration run through his chest and vibrate into hers. "I don't want to stop now." He murmured, and kissed her with fiery passion that almost made her lose the ability to care whether they got caught.

But, she remained resolved…just barely. "Naruto, please. We can do this later. We'll have plenty of time." She said, pushing his head gently away, his lips separating from hers.

He sighed, and nodded, helping her sit up while backing away slightly and removing himself from the intimate embrace of her legs. "Okay, Sakura-chan".

She smoothed her rumpled clothes, re-organized her hair quickly, and then stood. Naruto raised an eyebrow at the hickie he had left on her neck, and blushed. "Oops." He said, and Sakura seemed to realize what had happened.

"Where is it?" She asked, and Naruto touched the soft red spot on her neck. Sakura put her hand on that spot, covering it with a quick Genjutsu, and took her hand away. For those without blood-limit's that allowed them to see past illusions, it would look normal. But, those with the Sharingan or Byakugan would see the hickie, but Sakura wasn't worried about that.

"I'll see you at the entrance." She said, and walked out of the room, leaving Naruto to dress in his clothes that were on a table next to his bed. He stripped quickly, redressing just as quick. His suit had no holes, which surprised him. Someone must have fixed them up quickly or bought a new suit. He slipped on his orange pants, and his black kunai holster over his right thigh. Then, he slipped on his tight black tee shirt, and then zipped up his black and orange jumpsuit jacket. He then quickly tied on his black Ninja Headband, and slipped on his boots.

Ready to go, Naruto walked out of the room, and went to the main desk to get signed out.

Kakashi stopped, putting away his book, and turned to his two tagalongs. Naruto and Sakura stopped, amazed at where they were. A flood of memories hit them, as they realized that this was the same exact place they had first taken the 'Bell Test'. Neither had been here since Sasuke had left the village, both too depressed and saddened to come near this place. But, now that they were here, memories pounded at them, memories of Sasuke.

Naruto's fists clenched, and Sakura drooped her head as Naruto pointed out the obvious. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei. Remember the last time we were all here together?"

Kakashi seemed to actually just notice his surroundings and said with surprise, "Oh! Yes, I remember now! Back when we were Team 7, before Sasuke left. Wow, I guess this is a fitting place for another assessment."

Images flooded Naruto's mind…images from his and Sasuke's battle at the Valley of the End. Naruto's nail's cut into his palm, drawing a small amount of blood, as his muscles clenched tighter.

Sakura noticed the blood, as it slowly dripped from Naruto's palm, and she saw his jaw clenching. Her heart caught in her chest, pain coursing through her own body as Naruto wounded himself, both mentally and physically. Kakashi also noticed Naruto's reaction and thought, '_It seems Sasuke's name is taboo around these two for now.'_

Kakashi looked at them, smiling softly beneath his mask. He reached into his pouch attached to the back of his belt, and with a faint ringing sound, withdrew two bells. Naruto and Sakura immediately grinned as he said, "Now…you guys, you are no longer my students. I will fight you with the seriousness that I expect you to face me with. You are now my equals."

Naruto chuckled and adjusted his headband, on his forehead. Sakura reached into a pocket, and withdrew a pair of black leather gloves. She slipped them on, and clenched her fist, and the sound of leather being squeezed sent a shiver up Naruto's spine for a moment. He knew how hard she could punch.

Kakashi continued to speak. "In this lesson, I'll be teaching you two three types of Ninja fighting. To win this bout, you need to come at me with the intention of killing me."

The afternoon sun beat down on them, and on the crowd hidden in the trees watching. Tsunade, Jiraiya, Shizune, Temari, and Shikimaru were all watching. Iruka had to leave for the Academy, but Shizune was recording the fight with a video camera. Everyone was watching closely.

Kakashi raised one hand, his left hand that was unoccupied by the bells, and lifted his headband. His blood-red Sharingan glared out at the two Shinobi, and they immediately averted their gazes. "Seeing as I'm fighting you as equals, I won't fool around here."

Suddenly, Naruto charged, obviously impatient and ready to fight. He had a kunai out, and thrust it at Kakashi. Kakashi dodged easily, moving his head to the side and grabbing Naruto's outstretched arm, and then throwing him backwards. Naruto flew backwards…only to be caught by another Naruto. Everyone gasped in surprise. No one had even seen Naruto do the correct hand-signs for a Shadow clone. The Naruto that was caught, was spun through the air by his captor and immediately performed a Henge and transformed into a large Shuriken like Iruka's. Everyone suddenly understood. A Shadow Clone had charged, not Naruto, but that didn't explain Naruto's speed. The Shadow Clone was now a giant Shuriken, thrust at Kakashi. However, Naruto froze. Standing behind him, with a kunai at Naruto's throat, was Kakashi. He had moved so fast, no one had caught it. Naruto chuckled, at the same time as Kakashi.

Kakashi's chuckle caught in his throat as he felt something prodding his back. Another Naruto had a kunai in Kakashi's back, and Kakashi felt a trickle of sweat run down the side of his face. Naruto was fast.

Tsunade gasped. "Since when did Naruto get so good? That was incredible? I didn't even see him form those Shadow clones!"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, give me some credit Tsunade. Even _I_ could improve that knucklehead pretty far in two years."

Tsunade gaped, as did Temari and Shikimaru, at the standoff. Sakura's eyes were wide, mouth open as well, as she realized all that she had just seen. Naruto had indeed improved.

"Well, Naruto. Your timing with the Shadow Clones has improved greatly." Kakashi said, smiling.

Naruto grinned, "Thanks, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi replied, "You're welcome. But…you're impatient. I never said 'go'."

Sakura's eyes went wide, realizing what was about to happen. "NARUTO! Don't let him go!"

Kakashi looked at her, his eyes closed in a grin. "Go!" He said and, with a puff of smoke, he disappeared.

When the smoke cleared, Kakashi was gone, leaving two bewildered Naruto's. Sakura stomped over to Naruto and clocked him on the head. "You idiot! I told you not to let him go!"

The Naruto she hit, the one holding the large Shuriken, disappeared in a puff of smoke. The real Naruto, the one who had had a Kunai at Kakashi's back, muttered sheepishly, "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. He caught me by surprise! It won't happen again, I swear!"

Kakashi's voice floated through the air. "The First Lesson that I will teach you is this: Taijutsu."

Out of nowhere, Kakashi appeared, launching a rapid series of hand-to-hand combinations that overwhelmed Naruto and sent him flying. Sakura attacked, trying to blind-side Kakashi, but he leapt out of the way. Naruto quickly got to his feet, but Kakashi was gone once more.

"Where is he? Left? Right? Above?" Sakura asked, glancing at each direction as she spoke it. She grinned, and said, "No! So he must be below!"

Tsunade grinned at the same moment as Sakura and everyone watched as Sakura swung her fist…at the ground. As soon as her fist touched the dirt, the ground exploded upwards, shattering the ground just as effectively as a bomb.

Naruto's eyes widened in shock and he thought, '_Oh man! I better not act stupid…or Sakura-chan might kill me!'_

When the dust settled, Sakura wiggled her fingers at the debris. Sitting there, sweat dripping from his brow in fear, eyes wide, was Kakashi. "Uh…wow. It seems you've learned precision Chakra control and release." He muttered, and Sakura giggled.

"I found you, Kakashi-sensei!" She laughed, and Kakashi dusted himself off and climbed out of the debris.

"Well, it seems you have indeed grown. I won't be holding back." He said, and both Naruto and Sakura grinned in anticipation.

Kakashi fired off three Shuriken, faster than Sakura could react to, aimed directly at the pink-haired Kunoichi. Sakura gasped, as did Tsunade and Shizune.

Naruto jumped in front of Sakura, using his body as a shield and with a sickening slicing sound…the three shuriken pierced deep into Naruto. Sakura paled as blood flowed from Naruto's chest. She took a step forward, and Kakashi paled as well. "Naruto!" He murmured, and Naruto fell to his knees. Then…he disappeared in a puff of white smoke. Kakashi yelled in shock, "Dang! A shadow clone!"

"RASENGAN!" yelled Naruto, appearing behind Kakashi and attempting to nail his teacher with the glowing blue orb. Kakashi had no choice but to jump backwards…towards Sakura.

Sakura and Kakashi realized this at the same time, even as Kakashi was flying through the air, and Sakura grinned. She swung her fist at her incoming instructor, who caught her wrist and used it to swing himself out of harms way and deep into the woods. Sakura continued forwards, straight towards Naruto. Sakura's eyes went wide a split second before her fist impacted…with an unfortunate Naruto's face.

Naruto flew backwards, hurtling through the air like a rag doll, and slammed into a tree. Sakura gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "Oh my god! Naruto!"

Naruto held his bleeding nose, as he curled up on the ground in a ball. "SAKURA-CHAN! OWOWOWOW! Why'd you do that?" He yelled, and Kakashi laughed from up in the trees, effectively disappearing. He would let them recuperate before coming after him again.

Sakura knelt by Naruto, who had tears and blood streaming. "That hurt!" Naruto whined, and Sakura noticed the crooked nose. Yup, she had broken his nose. Ouch.

She winced as she quickly reached out, and with a cracking noise, straightened his nose. Naruto howled in pain, and Sakura quickly healed the bone and cartilage back together. Naruto made a questioning noise and then asked, "You learned medical Jutsu?"

Sakura nodded, and took her hand away. Naruto wiped the blood and tears of his face, and stood. Sakura stood as well and softly apologized. "Sorry Naruto. He surprised me."

He sniffed, touching his nose and making sure everything was okay. "It's okay, Sakura-chan. He's fast. But…next time try not to break my nose." He grinned, ready to go.

"Okay." She giggled, and for some reason, the way he was looking at her made her blush. He stepped forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek, and then took a few steps away from her. "Ready? Let's go." He said.

She nodded, and together they jogged into the woods, looking for signs of their ever-elusive instructor. Unknown to them, all the people who had hidden in the woods, except for Jiraiya and Shikimaru, silently said, "Awww! That's so cute!" Fortunately for the two youth Shinobi, they hadn't heard the exclamation.

It was getting into the late evening, and now the sky and their surroundings were red from the setting sun. They had only engaged Kakashi a few times, but they hadn't managed to land a hit on the man. With his Sharingan, he was very formidable, even with Sakura and Naruto's improvements. He was extremely fast, and he had even used a few of Rock Lee and Might Guy's Taijutsu moves.

Right now, the two Shinobi were closing in on Kakashi, using Naruto's keen sense of smell. Thanks to the Kyuubi within him, he could smell other's scents and even their Chakra. They were close.

Suddenly, they jumped down from the trees and onto the grassy floor of the forest. Naruto had made a hand sign that meant Kakashi was ahead. They approached stealthily, hardly making the slightest sound. Kakashi, hiding behind a tree now, waited for them to draw closer before unleashing his attack.

'_NOW!_' He thought, and quickly initiated his attack.

Naruto and Sakura froze, hearing someone stumbling towards them. They both went on the guard, prepared for an attack. However, what they saw, froze their blood, and made their breath catch in their chests. Stumbling towards them was a familiar figure, but he was pierced by kunai and bleeding profusely.

"Sakura…Naruto! H-help me! I escaped from Orochimaru's…please, help me!" Sasuke gasped, and collapsed to his knees. He leaned against a tree, panting and bleeding. "Please." He begged, and Naruto took a step forward.

Naruto's fists clenched, and he growled slightly. Sakura's eyes were sad and soft, but her voice was firm. "While I would have liked to talk longer…it's time for you to go now, Sasuke." She brought her hands up in front of her in the seal of the ram and pronounced one word. "Kai." With the release word, the Genjutsu shattered, and Sasuke disappeared.

Naruto let loose the breath he didn't realize he had been holding, and his muscles unclenched. Sakura spoke loudly, smiling slightly. "I fell for that on the first exam, Kakashi-sensei! Don't think that we'll fall for the same tricks twice!"

Kakashi smiled, and stepped out from behind his tree. "Hehehe! I guess you're right, guys. You have grown smarter."

Sakura grinned. "Don't you have something to say?"

Kakashi paused, and then he realized what she was talking about. "Oh yes! Ninja Tactical Lesson Two: Genjutsu!" He said, and grinned.

Naruto was observing his surroundings, and saw something that made him grin, laying on the ground, looking like it had been snagged and torn from Kakashi vest…was one of the bells. Naruto jumped towards it, fast enough to grab it before Kakashi could notice the bell.

Naruto grabbed the bell, grinning, but Kakashi grinned back. "However, it seems that Naruto will always be a knucklehead and never learn."

Naruto, with a jerk that made him drop the bell, found himself in the same predicament as he was in the first bell exam: upside down. A rope trap had snagged his ankle and raised him, upside down. However, instead of getting angry, Naruto grinned. "Hehehe! IDIOT!" Naruto yelled, howling with laughter.

Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Kakashi panicked. "ANOTHER Shadow Clone?" He asked, and from behind him came a battle cry.

"RASENGAN!" Naruto yelled, the glowing blue orb resting in his outstretched palm. Kakashi jumped backwards from Naruto, behind a tree. Naruto didn't even pause as he used the Rasengan to punch through the tree and reduce it to splinters, easier than snapping a toothpick. Kakashi jumped farther, only to be pursued by Naruto still.

Sakura leapt forward, fist cocked back for a killer blow, which Kakashi dodged. The tree behind Kakashi splintered the same, blasted into thousands of pieces by Sakura's Chakra enhanced blow. Kakashi thought despairingly, '_Oh, geez! Come on!'_

Naruto, holding the Rasengan, grinned as he pursued Kakashi. That grin set off a warning bell that made Kakashi instinctively jump even as he heard a second Naruto voice behind him.

"Ultimate Secret Taijutsu: A THOUSAND YEARS OF DEATH!" Naruto yelled, hands clasped in the seal of the tiger. He thrust his fingers upwards towards Kakashi's rear-end, but Kakashi jumped. Naruto's fingers missed the intended target by a mere inch, and that made Kakashi sweat.

Then, both Naruto's puffed into non-existence, and the smoke momentarily clouded his vision. Only his Sharingan allowed him to see Naruto fly towards him, aiming a kick towards Kakashi's head. Kakashi blocked it, then grabbed Naruto's leg and swung him away, towards Sakura. Sakura caught Naruto, spinning, and then threw Naruto towards Kakashi. Kakashi's eyes widened as Naruto formed a Rasengan…without the aid of a clone, in that split second Sakura caught him.

"RASENGAN!" Naruto yelled again, and Kakashi performed a flying jump out of the way. The swirling blue orb of Chakra missed Kakashi's chest…by a millimeter. Kakashi fell to the ground unceremoniously, only to continue to roll and jump away as Sakura bashed the ground where his head had been. The ground cracked, and Kakashi freaked out.

He had told them to come at him with the intention of killing him…but he hadn't expected them to really do it! Good gosh, this was going to be harder than he anticipated!

Kakashi jumped to his feet, and fled into the woods, leaving Sakura and Naruto panting. Naruto was dusting off his jacket, and staring up at the red sky, and grinned. "Kakashi-sensei is making mistakes." He said, and Sakura nodded.

"You almost nailed him twice, Naruto. I'm impressed. Got any other moves besides a couple Shadow Clones and a Rasengan?" Sakura asked, smiling.

Naruto nodded. He paused, looked at the direction Kakashi fled, and smiled. "Kakashi-sensei stopped. He's taking a breather. Come on. I'll show you what I've got."

Sakura nodded, smiling. This was going to be interesting.

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Kakashi paused, breathing heavily. The two had given him quite a scare! He didn't realize that had improved so greatly. He panted, and thought morosely, '_I don't even have time to read my new book that Naruto got me! I started it earlier, but I didn't want to stop! URGH! I wish I had enough time for a quick peek!'_

Suddenly, Naruto leapt out of the bushes, kunai drawn and thrusting at Kakashi. '_Dang, he found me fast!', _Kakashi thought as he jumped at Naruto, drawing his own Kunai. Their kunai clashed in the red atmosphere, causing orange and blue sparks to fly, and the two ninja soared past each other.

Naruto puffed into non-existence, and Kakashi cursed. Naruto jumped out of the bushes again, straight towards Kakashi who was still in the air. Kakashi flipped, landing a hasty kick on the crown of Naruto's head, and used the impact to push himself further up into the air. He performed a back flip, and landed with his guard up and ready. The Naruto he kicked puffed into non-existence, and Kakashi gave a grim smile that showed he had expected this.

Suddenly, Naruto and Sakura appeared above him, on a tree-limb. "Yo, Kakashi-sensei! You ready?" Naruto yelled, and Kakashi sighed in disappointment.

"You really shouldn't announce yourself so loudly before you attack. It allows your enemy to prepare a counter-offensive, Naruto." Kakashi chided, and Naruto laughed.

"Counter-offensive this, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto yelled, and closed his eyes. He put his hands together in the cross shape, index and middle finger of each hand up and put together. Sakura watched with half-interest, expecting a few Shadow Clones. Kakashi watched as Naruto's Chakra spiked, and then watched in astonishment as Naruto yelled his Jutsu name.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto yelled, and in a split second, tons of Naruto shimmered into existence around him. Hanging from tree branches, standing upside down on the tree branches, appearing in front of him standing confidently…were roughly one hundred and fifty Naruto's.

Sakura raised an eyebrow, not expecting this many from Naruto. So he had a larger number of Shadow Clones…that's nothing too new. But then, Sakura noticed something about the Shadow Clones, each of them in a split second had performed the same Jutsu. There were now 200, no wait, 400 Naruto's surrounding Kakashi. Sakura raised both eyebrows, and Kakashi did as well. He paled slightly, and Naruto laughed.

"Like I said…Counter-offensive that!" Yelled all four hundred Naruto's.

The real Naruto, the one on the tree branch next to Sakura, grinned. "All right guys! Charge!"

Kakashi blanched and watched in amazement as all four hundred leapt at once…in one solid horde at him. One versus four hundred…even if the four hundred were easy-to-dispatch Shadow Clones…was going to be a little harder than he thought.

However, Kakashi's veteran instincts kicked in, overriding his surprise and slight fear. He leapt, two kunai drawn and ready, and met the clones head-on. Kakashi flipped, stabbed, kicked, punched, threw, and spun like a whirling dervish, never ceasing his movements. Naruto and Sakura watched in amazement as Naruto's numbers were quickly cut down to half in less than a minute.

"Well, that was impressive, Naruto. But…I don't think it did any good." Sakura said, sighing and shrugging.

Naruto shrugged and smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess it didn't do too good." He said, and Sakura straightened to her full height.

"Fine. I'll take care of this." She said, and stretched the leather glove on her right hand a little bit. Naruto watched as Sakura jumped from the tree branch, and she landed, fist planted into the hard ground.

Sakura yelled as she swung with all her might, and unleashed her Chakra into the ground. The ground erupted, blasting forwards toward Kakashi and the Naruto Clones. The Naruto's disappeared and detonated in puffs of smoke as debris destroyed them.

Kakashi leapt backwards, still killing clones, out of the way of the erupting ground. Naruto quickly formed a KageBunshin, and then had the KageBunshin throw him at Kakashi. The reason being, Sakura had left herself open when she attacked and hit the ground. Her head was still lowered, unable to see the Kakashi shadow clone leaping towards her.

Naruto, a split second later, formed another shadow clone and transformed it into a pebble. Naruto grasped the pebble, landed in front of Sakura, and flicked it at the incoming Kakashi shadow clone. Kakashi's clone raised his eyebrows and a split second before the pebble hit him, the pebble transformed into a kunai. The kunai and Kakashi detonated together, and Naruto held a defensive position in front of Sakura.

She stood, only half-aware of what happened. "You're as good at protecting your team-mates as ever, Naruto." She complimented, and Naruto nodded. Kakashi was now gone, disappeared into the red evening. They would have to search again…but Naruto knew it would be dark before they found him again. He lowered his guard, and sighed.

"Thanks Sakura-chan." Naruto replied, and Sakura gazed at him questioningly. Naruto's mind was suddenly drawn to a thought of Gaara…and he looked to the west, towards Sunagakure…the Village Hidden in the Sand. The Village where Kazekage Gaara now ruled.

"Naruto?" She asked, and Naruto shook his head. He cleared his thoughts and muttered, "It's nothing." But he was lying. There was a sinking feeling in his stomach, but he tried to ignore it. Now was not the time to be distracted.

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At that moment, Gaara looked out of his office window. His pale green eyes glazed as a thought of a blond hero entered his thoughts. "Naruto." He whispered, and quickly snapped back to reality. Something wasn't right.

He gazed around, adjusting his Kazekage robe. Underneath was his red and black tunic-top with it's armor vest and harness that usually held his sand gourd. His gourd in question was next to his desk. It was larger, as was he. He was older, stronger, and he was definitely more becoming than the angry and disturbed young man he was two years ago. He was…more like Naruto, which was his lifelong goal.

Gaara could feel something…out in the desert. It didn't belong. It was a strange element, something unknown, and completely dangerous. Gaara stood, setting down the quill that he was using to write a scroll to Konoha. He removed his robe, and slowly attached his gourd to his harness. His eyes glazed over as yet another thought entered his mind. This time…it was a picture of a black cloaked figure, walking towards the gate of Sunagakure. The black cloak had red clouds on it, and Gaara felt his inner demon stirring.

Gaara spoke one word softly, in a voice that was deeper and more mature than his whiny rasp he had two years ago. "Akatsuki." That word, sent shivers down his spine. They had finally come for him.

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Outside the gate, standing still now, were two Akatsuki members. They wore the traditional hat to conceal their faces, not that they needed to now. Now…they were confronted by a bloody figure. He was a Sand warrior, an elite captain. Unfortunately for the Village of Sand…he was a brainwashed soldier. Someone planted high in the council, by a hunch-backed Akatsuki who was now at the gate.

"Captain Yuura. Do you remember me?" came the deep gravelly voice from the hunchback. The taller one shivered slightly at the voice.

"Yes, Master Sasori." Replied Yuura, kneeling. As Yuura kneeled, the path behind him became visible. Twenty to thirty dead ninja littered the ground and rocky gate, all slain by their commander.

"Deidara. You know what to do." Sasori said, and the taller figure removed his hat.

His blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail, but bangs escaped and covered his left eye. His artificial eye…his robotically enhanced eye. His right eye, the real one, was a light blue that shone with insanity. He chuckled, and adjusted his headband, the one with the scratch through the Lightning village symbol.

"Hehehe! Okay, Master Sasori. I'll begin." Deidara said, and Sasori muttered something.

"What?" Deidara asked, looking down at his companion.

"I don't like to be kept waiting." Sasori warned, a veiled threat emerging.

"I know, I know." Deidara said, dismissing it with a wave of his hand. Sasori was always impatient…but who cared? He was about to nab his Jinchuriki…the Ichibi (one-tailed demon) Shikaku. The host, Kazekage Gaara of the Sand was going to put a fight…without a doubt. But, what was a one-tailed demon? Hardly anything. Tonight would be easy.

With that…Deidara walked unopposed through the gate and into the open area of the Sand Village, the wind blowing his red-cloud patterned black cloak around his body. He glanced down at his hands, whose palms were facing up at him, and smiled at the slits there. His palms had two mouths, with sharp teeth and tongues to sculpt his attacks. "It's time for some art." Deidara muttered, and vanished from Sasori and Yuura's sight.

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update! I got grounded! It sucked, but now this chapter's up. Have fun, review, and re-read over and over and over again. Lol! I'm outta here for now! I'll update within a few weeks, sorry, but I'm still kinda grounded, and slammed by the upcoming holiday preparations. Don't forget to review.

FlexRhysode1


	3. Chapter 3

OKAY! This is Chapter 3…uh…obviously.

I apologize for the late update...but I've been grounded. UU'

I hope you guys enjoy this! It is going to be one of my favorite chapters, because there are some very juicy Naruto and Sakura moments. And, I would rather not do lemons…unless it is something obscure. I do not like being graphic, and then that would mean I would have to move up the rating. And, to top it off, I am only 16 years of age in case you have not read my profile. So...it would be MAJORLY innapropriate. It would be frowned upon if I did. I might get a friend of mine to write them or something (I doubt it though) and then post them in a separate story or something. So, now onto the reviews!

REVIEWS:

A/N: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! I wish I did…because then I could hurry up and get Naruto and Sakura officially together! T-T oh how I wish it would be!

**Chapter 3:**

Naruto froze, causing Sakura to almost bump into him. She was about to ask what was the matter, when she noticed what it was. Her blood froze solid, and her breath stopped. Standing in a clearing were three figures, smirking. Orochimaru, Kabuto…and Sasuke. They all were facing Naruto and Sakura, who had just emerged from the woods.

"Humph…late as always, loser." Sasuke said, almost monotone. His Sharingan was already activated…his three-comma Sharingan. Standing on Sasuke's right was Orochimaru, and on Sasuke's left was Kabuto. Sasuke smirked, arrogance obvious.

Naruto trembled, and for a second Sakura thought he was afraid. Then she realized, as he continued to shake, that he was not afraid…he was mad. Not just mad…he was _furious_. Sakura realized what was happening in that instant.

Kakashi, knowing they would catch up to him, had made three Shadow Clones. Then, he had transformed them into these three, and these three transformed Kakashi's had waited for Sakura and Naruto. Kakashi was striking a low blow, which meant he knew he was outmatched and going to lose.

Naruto trembled, and Sakura noticed he leaned slightly forwards, almost hunched. His silhouette in the night looked animalistic. He was not just furious now…he was ready to rip out Kakashi's throat for this.

He knew he was overreacting to this delay tactic used by Kakashi…but he did not care. This was beyond wrong! He wanted Naruto to lose control, and to leave himself exposed for an attack. Well…Kakashi would get what he wanted!

Naruto sprang forward, snarling. "SASUKE!" He roared, and he jumped out of the shadow of the trees. The full moon revealed him as he streaked forward, and Sakura noticed Naruto's nails were slightly elongated. He was harnessing Kyubi power.

The three-transformed Kakashi's smirked, and Sasuke shook his head. "As predictable as ever, idiot." Sasuke said.

Orochimaru chuckled in his raspy voice, and Naruto shifted his course. He did not want Sasuke at that moment…he wanted the Snake Sannin. "YOU!" He screamed, and with the scream came a blast of wind. It was not just wind…it was a chakra fueled attack.

The three Shadow Clones flinched and shielded themselves from the wind attack as the wind whipped their clothes around their bodies. That flinch was all Naruto needed as he rocketed forward. He was in front of Orochimaru in a second, hand clamped firmly around the snake Sannin's throat. Sasuke and Kabuto leapt away, but Naruto did not pursue them. He glared at the pale-skinned traitor ninja, his red eyes burning fiercely in the moonlight. Sakura was watching, frightened by the display of anger from Naruto.

"It's all _your_ fault, you damn snake!" Naruto hissed, his voice raspy and grating.

The shadow clone that was Orochimaru quivered in fear…and then died. Naruto ripped the shadow clone apart, separating the head from the body and then both parts disappeared into smoke. It was indeed a shadow clone.

Sakura trembled as Naruto glanced back in her direction over his shoulder, and she saw the blood-red slitted eyes. Then…he was gone. Sakura spun as she heard a sound, and saw Kabuto thrusting a kunai knife at her. She gasped as the Kunai reached her, and instinctively closed her eyes. The pain of being stabbed never blossomed, and she quickly opened her eyes.

Naruto stood in front of her, grasping Kabuto's gloved hand. However, the Kunai was stabbed through the middle of Naruto's palm. Naruto chuckled, and Kabuto's eyes widened. A trickle of sweat poured down Kabuto's face, and Sakura realized the Shadow Clone of Kakashi was afraid, no, he was terrified. Blood poured from Naruto's wound, and Sakura's eyes widened as she really noticed it. The Kunai had pierced through bone completely, and was mostly emerged from the back of Naruto's hand.

Naruto didn't pause as he swung his unoccupied left hand, and with a quick wrench, broke Kabuto's arm. Kabuto-Kakashi screamed, and then Naruto thrust his hand into Kabuto's chest. The Shadow Clone and his kunai disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving a large hole in Naruto's hand.

Naruto didn't turn to Sakura or really acknowledge her, but just glanced at his hand. The hole flared with red chakra, and then when the Chakra faded, the flesh was unstained and undamaged. Naruto didn't turn when Sakura whispered, "Naruto?"

Instead, he spoke in his raspy and harsh voice. But, Sakura realized it wasn't an angry voice as much as a…broken voice. Naruto was hurting inside. "So…just you and me again, eh, Sasuke?"

Sakura spun, to find Sasuke standing behind her. No emotions crossed Sasuke's face, and he stood relaxed. Both of his Sharingan eyes seemed to draw in Sakura's gaze, but she quickly averted her eyes. Naruto, though, met them dead on.

"Fool." Said Sasuke, but Naruto did nothing but stare back.

Suddenly, Sasuke moved, dodging a Naruto Shadow Clone who had leapt at his back with a kunai. Sakura gasped as the clone Naruto landed in front of her, and then performed a back flip kick attack at Sasuke.

Sasuke blocked the kick, and then quickly performed his own attack. But, he hadn't counted on Sakura. She threw two kunai, and then attacked with a salvo of punches. Sasuke flew backwards, but didn't detonate. Sakura and Naruto froze, both of them afraid now. Was it really Sasuke?

Naruto forgot his fear as soon as it emerged, and glared at Sasuke as he stood. "So now…you're as good as dead Sasuke. Unless you apologize to Sakura-chan, I'll break every bone in your body." Naruto rasped.

Sasuke seemed to flinch at that remark, and Sakura's eyes widened. Naruto moved so fast even Sasuke's Sharingan couldn't help him. Naruto had his left hand clamped around Sasuke's throat and the other clawed hand across Sasuke's eyes so he couldn't perform Sharingan Techniques.

Then, Naruto seemed to freeze in place, his body becoming rigid. "You are just a Shadow Clone too? But…you didn't detonate." He hissed, and Sakura felt disappointment. So he had just been a shadow clone, and not Sasuke.

The Shadow Clone's eyebrows rose, and Naruto could feel and smell the fear radiating off him. Naruto simply squeezed his left hand harder…and then the Shadow clone detonated.

Naruto's shoulders slumped, and then his form slowly returned to its normal state. He was no longer harnessing Kyuubi's powers. He fell to his knees, numb completely on the inside. Even if it was a Shadow Clone…he had killed Sasuke. Sakura ran to his side and then knelt, fear slowly fading from her. She immediately hugged Naruto, pressing her body as close to his as possible.

He didn't stir. He sat there, numbed by his own ferocity. He had known he was violent at times…but he had usually been able to control it so well. He was an animal…always had been…and he always would be.

----------------------------

Kakashi shivered in fear, in a tree overlooking the clearing. He had watched when his first Shadow Clone detonated and its memories popped into his head. Then…the second. And finally…the third. Kakashi was now terrified. Maybe he shouldn't have goaded Naruto. Kakashi looked back at the two teenage Shinobi on the ground. Naruto was unresponsive, and Kakashi felt the watchful and caring eyes of Tsunade and Jiraiya on him and the boy.

Kakashi wiped sweat away from his face, and slowly calmed his heartbeat. He could still feel the pressure of the red eyes that Naruto had gazed at him with. They had been glowing with hatred, with nothing but pure murderous intent. It was one of the few things that had been able to scare Kakashi into almost instant paralysis.

Kakashi gazed in concern at the boy in the clearing, afraid he had pushed him too far with his delay tactic. Kakashi could tell there wasn't anything physically wrong with the boy…the Kyuubi's Chakra and regenerative powers took care of that. But…still. Kakashi had just inflicted a mental wound on Naruto by forcing him to relive his and Sasuke's battle from two years ago.

Kakashi was about to jump out of the trees and call the exercise off, when Naruto finally responded to Sakura. Kakashi leaned closer, trying to make out what was being said. He wasn't alone: all the other observers hadn't left yet and were watching and listening just as intently as Kakashi.

-----------------------------

Sakura had desperately been trying to get Naruto to respond. However, all he did was stare blankly ahead…unresponsive. She clutched him desperately, even more so than she had when she had stopped Sasuke that first time in the Forest of Death when he was being overcome by the Curse Mark. Sakura felt tears welling in her eyes and she whispered, "Naruto…Naruto, please."

"Naruto, come back to me, my Naruto-kun. Come on…say something." She whispered desperately, holding tightly to him. Finally she said, "Don't make me cry, Naruto-kun." She reinforced her command with a single tear that rolled down the side of her face and dripped from her chin and onto the side of his face.

He responded as soon as the tear touched his skin. It was like a magnet, yanking him forcefully back from the blank state that his mind had sunk into. He immediately jerked physically, and found himself cradled against Sakura. She had felt the jerk, and he looked up at her. She looked down at him, tears brimming in her eyes, and sighed in relief. Her green eyes locked with his Cerulean blue eyes…and he smiled. He reached up and gently wiped away her tears, and she closed her eyes and enjoyed the contact of his warm skin.

He didn't move from the position in her arms, and she didn't feel like she was ready to let go. "Don't do that to me, Naruto. Don't EVER do that to me again." She whispered.

"I won't…Sakura-chan." He paused, averting his eyes from hers for a moment…and then met her eyes again. "I promise." He said, and she smiled. She sniffled slightly, and then giggled.

"I sound like a worry-wart, don't I?" She asked, and Naruto sat himself up. He took her into his arms, and she didn't resist.

"No. You sound like someone who had good reason to be scared. Especially after what happened." Naruto whispered, and she sighed in contentment as his strong arms wrapped around her body.

"I've NEVER seen you act like that before, Naruto. Never…and it did scare me." Sakura admitted. She kicked herself mentally, unsure of why she admitted her weakness.

Naruto seemed to know what she was doing, and he held her tighter. She was surprised at his strength. He was on his knees, and she was curled up on his lap now, held tightly by his arms. "I'm sorry I scared you…I wasn't able to control my anger. I apologize, Sakura-chan." He murmured, and she nodded, gently stroking his face.

"It's fine now…it's just something I had never seen before. A new side of you. You know what?" She asked, and Naruto gently began to caress her arms and back.

"What?" He asked, gazing in her eyes.

"You, my Naruto-kun, know so much about me…but it seems like I know hardly anything about you. I know about you…but it seems I don't _know_you." Sakura said, and he smiled softly. Her hand wandered up to his blond, messy hair, and began to play with the golden locks.

He bent down and kissed her, drawing a surprising moan from Sakura. She didn't know why she moaned slightly, but…the kiss felt so good. She pressed her body tighter to his, and he smiled in their kiss. "Sakura…it's fine. We have a while to get to know each other well enough…" He said.

Over in the trees, all the observers were covering their mouths in shock and surprise. Tsunade murmured softly with pride, "Oh my gosh, it's finally happening."

Kakashi on the other hand, had to break up the moment. They were still training. He spoke loudly, drawing the two teenagers to the new threat. "Now it's time for Ninja Tactical lesson number three: Ninjutsu!"

Naruto and Sakura broke from their kiss immediately, jumping up into a guard position. Naruto pinpointed Kakashi immediately, using his Chakra-finding ability. Kakashi leapt from the tree, flying towards the two. He spun while in the air, making it harder for them to hit him, but making it easier for him to hit them. Naruto and Sakura jumped separate ways, Naruto to the left and Sakura to the right, but not too far. They were making it so that when Kakashi landed from his spin and he had to re-orient himself, they could take advantage of that split second.

He landed, knowing their strategy, but as soon as his feet touched the ground, he jumped high into the air. He used Chakra to boost his jump, so he jumped high and oriented himself while in the air. Sakura and Naruto watched, quickly devising strategies. "Sakura. I'll boost you!" Naruto yelled.

Sakura nodded, and ran at Naruto. She jumped at him, and he quickly prepared his hands into a platform for Sakura's foot. As soon as her foot made contact, he used all his strength to throw her upwards as she used her own Chakra to propel herself upwards as well.

Kakashi realized his mistake. It was harder to avoid attacks while in the air, and it would be horrible to fight Sakura because of her Chakra-enhanced strength. Kakashi instantly made a Shadow Clone, who threw him down towards the ground and away from Naruto and Sakura. Sakura simply dispatched the Shadow Clone, and allowed gravity to do the rest.

Naruto watched Sakura out of his peripheral vision, and quickly formed a Shadow Clone. "Catch Sakura-chan." He ordered, and then leapt towards the spot where Kakashi would land.

Kakashi landed first, and quickly formed hand seals. "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu! Fire Style: Grand Fireball Technique!" Kakashi yelled, and put his fingers to his mask.

He blew fire, and the fire morphed into a giant fireball that was roughly eleven feet in diameter. The Fireball blasted towards Naruto, who quickly jumped away from it, off to the right. He was getting further and further from Sakura, which was not good for team strategy…but Kakashi was driving him that way and it was hard not to do it.

Suddenly, Naruto noticed the background behind Kakashi, and he instantly recognized where they were. They were in the area when Naruto had first boldly challenged Kakashi…and had been hit with a Thousand Years of Death for the first time. The small riverbed area was full of water, just like last time, and Naruto quickly formed a plan.

He jumped straight at Kakashi as soon as the Fireball passed, and Kakashi was ready for him. However, he was not ready for Naruto to have a Rasengan in one of his hands. He dodged the blow that Naruto aimed for his stomach, and jumped backwards…fulfilling Naruto's goal.

Naruto allowed his Rasengan to dissipate, and quickly continued the attack, driving Kakashi further back towards the riverbed. Memories popped into his head, indicating his shadow clone had detonated, and he was glad that the Shadow Clone had caught Sakura without a problem. Sakura was now on her way to back Naruto up.

Naruto grinned at Kakashi and performed yet another Rasengan, swinging hard and fast. Kakashi flew backwards, just barely dodging the blow, panting slightly. Sakura appeared out of nowhere, almost connecting her fist with Kakashi's head. Naruto laughed, but his laugh was cut short as suddenly Kakashi's hands flew through a complex chain of seals. His sign weaving was so complex and fast that neither Ninja could follow the seals or even make out one hand sign.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" He yelled, as soon as his feet touched the water in the riverbed. Naruto and Sakura had an immediate flashback, back on their first REAL mission. When Kakashi and Zabuza had fought, they had both used this Jutsu. The water behind Kakashi exploded upwards, in the shape of a dragon, and then rocketed downwards towards the two young Shinobi.

Sakura and Naruto both leapt away from the incoming attack…Naruto to the right and Sakura to the left. As soon as the Dragon impacted with the ground, it exploded and caused a massive flood of water to surge forward through the forest. Sakura was high in a tree, and quickly scanned the area for Kakashi and Naruto as the water slowly began to disperse.

Sakura's heart was pounding, and her breath was coming out in short gasps from having to move so quickly. He clenched the rough bark of the tree trunk, and continued to look for movement. She heard Naruto yell ahead of her, somewhere across the clearing and in the woods, and she assumed it was not going well.

She jumped from the tree and through the air, flying across the wide clearing, and landed at the other wooded area's tree line. She heard Kakashi yell, "Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!"

She ran towards the sound and heard Naruto yell in anger…and she assumed he was caught. She reached the area where the commotion was, and saw Kakashi kneeling next to Naruto's head. Naruto was underground from the neck down, having been pulled under by his instructor's earth style jutsu.

"I'll get you, Kakashi-sensei!" Yelled Naruto…and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Naruto! I'm getting tired of all these Shadow Clones!" Kakashi yelled, exasperated. Every time he thought he had Naruto, it turned out it was a Shadow Clone.

Sakura grinned and lunged at Kakashi, fist cocked back and her Chakra prepared. "Well here's something real!" She yelled, and swung as soon as she was in range. Kakashi spun, turning his body so that she only landed a glancing blow, but she managed to nick him.

She released her Chakra on impact, and he soared backwards, just as if he had been hit by a Rasengan. He grunted in pain, but managed to control his flight and land on his feet a good twenty yards away. It felt like he had been kicked by a horse in his right shoulder.

"Well…one glancing blow, Sakura. Good job. But now…you'll have to catch me again!" Kakashi said, and disappeared from sight without hardly any effort.

Naruto cursed, jumping down onto the spot Kakashi had occupied seconds before. "Dang it! He just _had_ to move when I was going to attack, didn't he?"

Sakura gave him a smile, rolling her eyes at the same time. "Of course you were, Naruto." She said, teasing.

Naruto shrugged, not bothering to respond. "Well, either way, we're definitely outclassed. I had forgotten Kakashi-sensei was this good. He's fast." He said, switching topics.

Sakura nodded, and sighed. "He's faster than I remember. Did you see when he did the Water Dragon Jutsu? I couldn't even distinguish a single sign! He's on a completely different level than us! We can't beat him in hand to hand, not without some kind of cheating or very effective distraction. But with his Sharingan, he'll be able to defeat any Genjutsu we throw at him, so distraction is out of the question." She sat down, deciding to try to figure out what they should do.

Naruto looked at her, but she was oblivious of it. She was deep in thought already, searching her knowledge for any weaknesses that Kakashi had shown over the years. Naruto was gazing at her with such affection, that if she had seen the look before he quickly disguised it behind a mask of indifference…she would have wanted him to kiss her.

Feeling something wrong for a split second, Naruto looked up at the full moon, the white light gently caressing his face. The bad feeling he had earlier came back, but then disappeared as swiftly as it had come…like a leaf blown in a fierce wind. It was there one second…but then it was gone.

Naruto gazed down at Sakura, and grinned as he remembered something Kakashi had said earlier. "Well, Sakura-chan. I happen to know Kakashi's _one_ weakness…and I have a plan to exploit it." He said, and Sakura raised an eyebrow as she looked up at him.

The grin on his face left her no doubt as to what kind of plan it was: it was the grin of the Number One Maverick Ninja…the prankster. She smiled, knowing that this plan would be…interesting to say the least. Naruto sat down next to her and began to outline his plan, and Sakura realized the truth of Naruto's words. This plan might just work.

--------------

From the time that he had arrived until roughly the time that over in Konoha Naruto and Sakura had dodged the Water Dragon Jutsu…Deidara of the Akatsuki was observing Sunagakure. Suna was silent, but well guarded. The full moon gave him plenty of light to observe Suna security, but he was flying on the back of his bird high in the sky where the guards wouldn't look.

Deidara's bird wasn't a bird of flesh and blood. It was made from Clay…Deidara's special clay. His hands formed clay, said substance was occupying a bag on each of his hips, into small figurines. With his Chakra, he could expand the creature, and control it with his will. All of his figurines he made also had a secondary ability: explosion. The clay was explosive and deadly, and only Deidara had ever mastered the technique. The clay bird he rode on was flying slowly, but it could be speedy if he wished it to be. It was his main kind of sculpture…the one he relied on most of the time.

"The formation and design of Suna is beautiful…so artistically crafted and planned. The buildings, the streets, the overall location…is a wonderful expression of art. However, as much I would like to keep enjoying it and not cause damage to it…" Deidara glanced over his shoulder at the entrance of the village where Sasori was waiting. "Master Sasori hates to be kept waiting. It's time to engage."

Deidara stuffed his hands in his robe and into the bag on each hip. The mouths on his hands ingested the clay, chewing and forming the figurines Deidara chose from his arsenal, and when Deidara opened his hands…on his palms rested four spiders. Two on each hand.

Deidara threw the spiders from him, each heading towards a specific spot. Once he was sure they could expand without the four sentries guarding the roofs near him seeing…he activated their growth. With a puff of smoke, each spider expanded to roughly the size of a small dog. The spiders landed without noise, without being noticed by the sentries.

Deidara watched with a grin, his robotic eye observing carefully. "Good." Was all he said.

Each spider emitted a small whistling sound, a short blast of air, and each sentry turned towards the sound. As soon as they turned, each spider leapt at their target and latched themselves onto a sentry's face. The sentries panicked, emitting muffled screams, but Deidara brought up one hand…his right hand…into half of the seal of the Ram.

"Katsu!" He yelled, and with a small explosion…the life of each sentry was snuffed out.

"Art is a blast." Deidara chuckled, and with his guidance, the bird Deidara was on swooped low towards a rooftop. The rooftop in question was the roof to the Kazekage's office building. Here, he would find and capture the Jinchuriki.

He leapt from the bird onto the roof, absorbing the impact easily, but pausing for a moment before he straightened. Something was…off. He stood, and looked dead ahead, and was thoroughly surprised. He didn't show it, but he was definitely surprised. His clay bird stayed hovering in the air behind him, slowly beating its wings. Deidara quickly formed a strategy, and was genuinely curious as to how the Kazekage Jinchuriki had found him out so quickly.

"So…how did you know?" Asked Deidara, as he quickly observed the young man in front of him.

The Jinchuriki, host to the Ichibi demon Shukaku, was surprisingly a handsome young fellow. Despite the dark black circles around his eyes that made him look like some kind of raccoon…a similarity to his demon that all Jinchuriki possessed, he was a handsome young man. His messy red hair was gently ruffled by the desert wind, and his red tattoo above his left eye was revealed. It was a kanji that read 'Love'. His pale green eyes were unexpressive and calm, but Deidara feel the anger radiating from the boy. His face was narrow, characteristic of a teenager, and he seemed very adult-like. His red and black clothing was stylish, yet simple, and the large tan gourd on his back matched the tan leather harness that was strapped diagonally across his chest.

Gaara stood with his arms folded across his chest, not blinking, and the wind blew a few sand particles gently in the wind. "There are no birds like _that_ out here in the desert." Gaara said simply, emotionless. When he emphasized 'that', Deidara knew he was referring to his masterful creation.

Deidara grinned widely. "Do you know who I am?" He asked, just buying some time to complete his plan.

Gaara said one word, one that had an emotion of resolve. It showed that he, like all Jinchuriki who had been attacked previously, would fight to the death against him. "Akatsuki." Gaara said, and Deidara smirked.

The time for talk was over suddenly, as a thin arm of sand shot from the open mouth of the gourd. It was fast, and would have killed Deidara instantly, had he not ducked. As soon as the arm of sand missed, Deidara back flipped once, and then sprang backwards onto the back of his bird. The arm of sand lashed out again, nearly killing him a second time, even as Deidara took to the sky.

'_A sand Manipulator? Hmm...this Jinchuriki has interesting powers. He'll be a pleasure to add to our collection._' Deidara thought, as he effortlessly commanded his bird to turn sharply and avoid another arm of sand.

"Too simple!" Deidara laughed, but Gaara didn't respond. He just stood there, arms crossed, glaring at the Akatsuki member.

Suddenly, all the sand Gaara had used to attack joined into one thicker arm, roughly twice the width of a human arm. It shot out, like a rocket, straight towards Deidara. Gaara raised his arms from their position, and the sand surged even faster. Deidara's eye widened in surprise as he ducked under the shot aimed for his head.

The sand, that had overshot, didn't fall to the ground. It hovered in the air, hissing with movement. It shot towards Deidara again, to which Deidara responded with an easy evasive maneuver. Deidara chuckled, clearly exerting no effort as he dodged continuous shots from the Kazekage. It was boring…until Gaara performed a surprise move. He shot off another stream of sand, so Deidara now had to dodge two coordinating attacks.

Deidara dived down through the night sky, just barely missing being hit by both arms of sand, and quickly formulated a plan. '_I'll fly through the streets! He can't risk destroying his city while chasing me!'_ Deidara thought, grinning.

He swooped low, choosing a street wide enough, and then quickly made several swift turns. However…Deidara noticed something that almost caused him to slam into a wall. The streets were all sand…and the sand was churning. A sand Pillar blasted up into the air, right in front of Deidara. Deidara's bird quickly swung around it, dodging several other pillars at the same time, and Deidara cursed his luck as the pillars dissipated and turned into a large arm of sand that flew after him. He hadn't counted on that. He though the Kazekage could only manipulate his own sand.

"Crap." Deidara muttered, and quickly steered his bird up away from the streets. There, he would die faster. He quickly shot high into the air and dodged three rapid strikes from three different arms of sand. He quickly grabbed some clay and formed it into several small bird figurines. He threw them, as soon as they were formed, in the direction of Gaara.

Gaara didn't know his full capability…only that he was Akatsuki and he flew on a white bird. The five birds expanded in a puff of smoke, into the size of regular pigeons. They flew towards Gaara, who made a confused face. He obviously had no idea what would happen. The models were Deidara's fastest creations, able to go around thirty to forty miles an hour.

The birds soared towards Gaara, and within seconds, they were in perfect distance to kill the Kazekage. Deidara, dodging another sand pillar, brought his right hand up into half the sign of the ram, and said the activation word. "Katsu!"

Gaara knew something was wrong when Deidara brought up his hand, but didn't have time to react. All five birds exploded, right on top of Gaara. The orange and red flames roared, the explosion sounding throughout the village, and Deidara laughed. He had won! This Jinchuriki was way too easy! But then again, that's why the demon had only one tail…he was the weakest of all the nine demons.

The smoke dissipated as Deidara swooped close to claim his prize. The Sand arms that had attacked him dissipated in the wind, blowing away, adding to Deidara's suspicion that he had indeed killed or knocked out the Kazekage. He hoped he had only knocked him out, because if he had killed him…he would get in trouble.

However, as the smoke cleared completely and Deidara got closer, instead of finding a body….Deidara found a wall of sand protecting the Kazekage. Gaara's Sand had protected him from that blast in half of a second…and now Gaara was ready for him!

Deidara quickly urged his bird to wheel around and fly away, as the sand wall transformed into a sand arm that quickly pursued him. "Damn!" Deidara spat out, as he urged his bird into its fastest speed. He tried to form birds, thrusting his hands in his pouches and withdrawing his hands again once they were filled with clay. However, his bird wasn't fast enough to outrun the sand arm. The arm of sand struck him and quickly encased his whole left arm up to his shoulder.

Deidara glanced at the Kazekage, panicked, and saw a faint smile on Gaara's face. Gaara leisurely brought up his right hand, fingers splayed wide apart. Deidara felt his blood run cold as soon as Gaara paused…and then he closed his fist.

Deidara screamed in pain as the sand encasing his left arm crushed his arm, and the sand withdrew from his body. He dropped his forming clay in his right arm, because of the pain. Deidara didn't shed a tear, but he quickly dealt with the pain. He looked down to his left, and saw that he no longer had a left arm…that Gaara hadn't just crushed it…he had taken it. However, he wasn't bleeding from his shoulder at all…and Deidara growled in anger as he realized why.

Sand was blocking his wound, keeping him alive for further play and amusement. The Kazekage didn't want to end his fun just yet…he still wanted to play. '_Damn him! He thinks he can outmatch me? Ha! I'll show him! I still have my specialty!'_

Deidara quickly formed clay statues with his remaining hand, forming several birds. Deidara flung the birds at Gaara, who was watching his prey with interest. Gaara simply extended his right hand and his sand launched out and smashed the birds as they expanded into their real size. They were no longer a surprise for Gaara.

Gaara suddenly formed a small cloud of sand that would hold him, and jumped onto it. He raised both hands to about waist level, and the sand from the village came alive. The sand rose in large tendrils, and Gaara slowly rose through the air as the sand tendrils rocketed forwards towards Deidara.

Deidara flew higher, desperately attempting to get out of reach of the arms. He quickly formed more birds, and grimaced as he realized he was already running low on clay…he had been overconfident.

He flung the birds at Gaara, who seemed to go through a transformation right at that moment. He seemed to grow stronger, and Deidara could see strength flowing through him. The sand around Gaara changed as well…into a thicker, harder sand type. It had multiple branches…like a living arm and it had black designs on it. Deidara quickly remembered the description from the information he had on Gaara…Gaara was now using Shukaku sand!

The birds rocketed forward, scattering so they would be harder to kill. Gaara simply manipulated the Shukaku sand tendrils so that the multiple spines and arms of sand that were growing from the main pillars so that they shot out, smashing the pesky birds.

Deidara was focusing on analyzing the strength of the Shukaku sand behind him, that he didn't see a large mass of it in front of him. He turned…but he was too late. A large orb of Shukaku sand, larger than several buildings put together, and it's arms were reaching out to engulf him. Deidara quickly tried to get his bird to turn, but the sand was already closing the gap behind him. He was surrounded. He cursed his luck as the gap closed completely, sealing him the dark tomb of Shukaku sand…he was in a sand Coffin.

----------------------------------------

Kankuro, on the roof of the buildings below the battle, turned and saw his old instructor Baki land next to him. The roofs and streets were now littered with Ninja and civilians alike, watching in awe as their Kazekage protected their village.

Kankuro was leaning against the railing, almost leisurely, and he casually shifted the large scroll attached to his back. "Kankuro! We need to come up with a contingency plan in case Gaara loses control! We need to prepare for a scenario that Shukaku emerges!" Baki ordered.

Kankuro smiled up at his younger brother, who was now going into his protective shell to properly perform his Jutsu. The sand orb floated in the air, and an eye made of sand swirled into existence. _'The third eye…that allows Gaara to see all that's going on around the sand sphere so he's not caught off guard. Heh…this Akatsuki fool is as good as dead.'_ Kankuro thought.

"No. We don't need to, Baki. Gaara will never allow Shukaku to emerge. He won't harm his village." Kankuro said confidently. He was aware of how absurd he sounded, defending the boy who used to be considered insane and unstable. However…Gaara had changed.

"Kankuro, as much faith that we want to have in him…we have to prepare for the worst. " Baki said gently, his deep voice filled with gentle admonition.

Kankuro grinned up at his brother, his purple face paint making it seem like an evil grimace in the night. His mind flew back to a conversation he had with Gaara, two years ago.

(_Flashback_)

_"Gaara! Think about it! If you leave our squad, you're going to leave yourself open to abuse! The higher-ups already dislike you, but at least in our squad you have protection! If you go with a normal squad, they'll be harder on you and they'll never leave you alone!" Kankuro said, talking to his younger brother. They were standing on a cliff, overlooking the desert they called home. The sun was setting, shimmering above the sand dunes it was slowly sinking behind. The red sky matched Gaara's hair and outfit. Gaara was facing the sunset, not looking at his brother._

_"I know this." Was all he said, his voice soft. There was a hint of a sad smile on his voice._

_"Gaara…think! The elders hate you…and you won't get anything easy! They'll make you sweat and cry and bleed to get anything! Half the village still fears you!" Kankuro half-yelled, trying desperately to convince his younger sibling to abandon his crazy idea._

_Kankuro spoke softly to his little brother, hesitantly. "Gaara, don't do this. Please."_

_Gaara, still staring into the sunset with his arms folded across his chest, sighed. His brother and sister and sensei had all brought up these points before…but at least they cared._

_"Kankuro…I know that they fear me and want me dead. I came to terms with this years ago. But just sitting here…just being the same…will create more fear. To leave that path of fear and loneliness…I have to work hard and forge my own path. So that maybe…someday…" Gaara paused and squinted his eyes, thinking. "Someday I'll be like him. Naruto Uzumaki."_

_Kankuro stared, listening intently to his younger brother. He hadn't really seen this side of Gaara before…the sincere and emotional side. He was fascinated and amazed._

_"When I met him…I thought that bonds were simply hatred and murder. I had those 'bonds' and created them easily. But, he showed me that they're much more than that. I think I understand…a little at least…what bonds truly are." Gaara whispered softly, talking to himself and his sibling. He could be heard easily, and Gaara knew his brother was listening…spellbound._

_"To have fear, yes. To have pain…yes. But, to have fear and pain and joy and to be able to share that equally with a person who is special to you…that is what a true bond is. I feel that is what Naruto taught me. That's why…I'll bleed. I'll cry. I'll sweat. I will work hard, to make everyone acknowledge my existence, and I'll aim to be Kazekage. To no longer be just a weapon that's feared…but to have bonds to my village. That's my path that I'll forge…no matter what." Gaara said, and Kankuro stood amazed at the depth and sincerity of what Gaara said._

_Gaara looked behind him, over his shoulder, at his older brother. What he did, shocked Kankuro. Gaara, lips brought up ever so slightly, was smiling._

(_End Flashback_)

Kankuro straightened, and looked at Baki. "Trust Gaara. Trust our Kazekage. He won't let Shukaku emerge." He said, and his instructor obviously struggled with his urges.

"I…I will trust him." Baki finally said, with obvious difficulty. He turned, along with all the rest of the ninja on the rooftops, back to the fight.

"You hear that, Gaara? We trust you. We trust our Kazekage!" Kankuro whispered fiercely, willing his brother to hear him.

He smiled as he prepared to watch the defeat of the attacker, and let a grin form on his face. This newcomer was no match for Gaara in his element. Gaara was a sand-manipulator, and most of the village had sand in it. He could very well use all of the sand to blanket the attacker and destroy him…though it might damage the village below. But, that was why Gaara wasn't doing that. He was protecting his village, not destroying to protect himself.

Suddenly, an explosion at the edge of the Shukaku sand sphere pulled Kankuro out of his reverie. Kankuro looked up in shock as a figure flew out from the sand sphere with its black and red cloak flapping wildly in the wind. The figure fell down towards the city, and Kankuro's hands reflexively went for the scroll on his back.

However, a large tentacle of Shukaku sand lashed out and grabbed the falling Akatsuki and then threw him back towards the waiting maw of the Shukaku orb. Kankuro breathed a sigh of relief, and removed his hand from the scroll. Gaara could still take this guy…no matter what was thrown at him.

However, he watched as the attacker flung a white shape in front of him, and then the object exploded into a shape of an owl. Kankuro watched as the clay Owl carried its creator away from danger, clearing the sand by no more than a few feet.

"How…how? There's no way he could have escaped Gaara's sand…" Kankuro muttered, and realized how deadly this attacker was. The Akatsuki…was not an organization to be taken lightly. "Damn." Kankuro muttered, and watched as the battle unfolded once again.

-----------------------------

Deidara was grinning as the wind whipped his blond hair around his face, and he watched as the sand orb dissolved and blew away in the wind. It left no trace of its existence. He also saw that Gaara's orb opened up, allowing Gaara to see the battle even more clearly. Deidara quickly formed several birds as he grabbed clay from his pouch. He winced as he realized he was almost completely out of clay already.

He threw four birds towards Gaara, only to have a small arm of sand detach itself from the floating orb and destroy the birds before they could form. The arm kept flying forward, obviously coming for him. '_Crap!_' Deidara thought, and he quickly sent his clay owl into an evasive spin. Gaara watched with a smug grin as his sand pursued, and Deidara gritted his teeth in anger at the smug young man.

As Deidara flew around in evasive maneuvers, he quickly grew tired of this game. He was tired of being the prey…he had come to be the hunter! He sent his owl high into the sky, and he glared at Gaara. "I've got a surprise for you, Kazekage! You want to play? Well then let's play! Here is my finest piece of art! My specialty weapon, my finest clay…known as C-3!"

Gaara watched, expressionless, as Deidara reached in his robe and withdrew a large shape of clay. It looked like some kind of stuffed animal, maybe a pillow, except it was made of clay. Deidara grinned as he tossed his creation away from him, and it hovered in the air. Gaara's eyes widened in shock as the statue exploded…and expanded. It was about ten to twelve feet in diameter…and it looked like some kind of white orb with bird wings. It had a face in it, a hauntingly evil face.

It fell, emitting a shriek from the wind rushing in and out of it's cavities as it spun downwards like a top. Gaara reached out a hand, heart-rate increasing…and he realized he wouldn't be able to get it.

Deidara grinned maniacally and laughed out the word that caused the world below him to burst into flames. "KATSU!"

Gaara and Deidara watched, one with amusement and pride…and the other with horror, as the 'Specialty' exploded. Flames leapt into existence, and the world shook, and the air was filled with a roar that made Gaara's ears hurt. It was ten times louder than thunder. His village…was doomed.

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Thanks for reading! This chapter wasn't as long as I planned, but to make sure you guys got an update soon, I had to cut it short. So, I hope you guys review! Thanks again!


	4. Chapter 4

HERE IS CHAPTER 4!! YAAAY!!! ENJOY MY ADORING FANS! ;)

A brief warning here…well, not much of a warning as much as it is a piece of information. There is some ShikimaruxTemari hinting in this chapter. I might decide to carry it further, depending on your guys' reviews.

A/N: Once again. sigh I do NOT own Naruto. I also don't own the Shippuuden series, which this story is based off of. Also…I don't own the Make-out Paradise Series. HAHAHA! That would be funny if I did, though. Then I would get enough money to buy Naruto from Masashi Kishimoto! THEN THE WORLD WOULD BOW TO ME! BWAHAHAHA!

coughs okay. Well, time to get on with the story

**Chapter 4:**

**Previously in Lost in the Green Seas:**

Deidara grinned maniacally and laughed out the word that caused the world below him to burst into flames. "KATSU!"

Gaara and Deidara watched, one with amusement and pride…and the other with horror, as the 'Specialty' exploded. Flames leapt into existence, and the world shook, and the air was filled with a roar that made Gaara's ears hurt. It was ten times louder than thunder. His village…was doomed.

**THE CONTINUATION:**

[Konohagakure-The Village Hidden in the Leaves-9:30 p.m.

Kakashi was hiding at the base of a thick tree, crouched and panting. He was running low on Chakra, and he was getting irritated. He had not been able to read his new Icha Icha book at all! He desperately wanted to see what happened between the main protagonist and his women lovers.

'_Dang. I'll have to wrap this up fast. Wait…what's that noise?' _He thought, and realized it was Naruto and Sakura. They had finally found him. He sighed, and wearily thought, _'Great…time for another bruising.'_

He stood, and looked around, straining every sense to determine the direction of the two Shinobi's attacks. Kakashi used his Sharingan, and spotted the disturbances. _'There!'_ He thought, and quickly went on guard.

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[Sunagakure-The Village Hidden in the Sand-9:30 p.m.

The air was filled with heat and dust, fire and ash, as Deidara's 'Specialty' exploded. Deidara laughed maniacally, and watched in pride as the explosion bloomed like a flower. The black, red, orange and yellow color mixtures cast a beautiful light across the village as it was caught up in his art's explosion.

"Beautiful." Deidara said, and grinned at the Kazekage. The Kazekage was obviously straining…but for what reason? Sweat was gathered on his forehead, and his limbs were shaking. Deidara's artificial eye detected a massive outpouring of Chakra, and he looked down as the smoke cleared from the ground zero of the explosion.

"What?" Deidara whispered, shocked at the sight.

Instead of a destroyed village, he was looking at a giant floating sand platform that had erupted from the very floor of the village. The sand had risen, and acted like a bowl and contained the explosion. The structure…was massive. It was beyond even the Shukaku spheres, which was why Gaara was straining so much. So much energy had been lost to save his village…and he now struggled to keep the structure intact. If he let it go…it could fall and damage the village.

Deidara hissed in displeasure, and then grinned. Gaara quickly glanced at Deidara and noticed the sinister grin. His eyes widened as Deidara said, "Within Range."

He raised his remaining hand, and formed the half-seal of the Ram. Gaara's eyes grew even wider as a white shape appeared out of his peripheral vision, a tiny bird. It was right at the edge of his sphere.

"KATSU!" Deidara yelled, igniting the bird into its explosive state.

The bird exploded, and the sand sphere reacted without Gaara's will. It closed him in, just as Deidara was hoping, protecting him from the blast. Gaara would believe he was safe…safe within his shell even as he strained to keep the giant structure underneath them in one piece.

-------------------------------

Gaara panted, breathing heavily as adrenaline rushed through his system. That had been a close call…closer than he ever wanted to experience again. He had to end this quickly. However, as he reached out to manipulate his sand, he detected abnormalities within his sand shell. _Moving_ abnormalities that were burrowing through to the inside of his shell. Gaara's heart rate increased and his breathing became shallow. From all sides…tiny clay spiders crawled in from the sand, covering his protective shell and making it white.

Gaara was surprised that he could hear the command from the Blond Akatsuki from within his shell. That single word, made Gaara's world explode.

-----------------------------

"KATSU!" Deidara yelled again, teeth bared in a ferocious grin. He watched as the Sand shell bulged from the explosion within, and chuckled to himself.

'_When the fool crushed my arm, my hand was still forming clay. So, I just had my hand spit the clay into the sand that attacked me…seeing as it was faster than any other sand I knew from the reports that that sand belonged to Gaara's "Absolute Defense" sand. It grew with him, soaked up more of his Chakra as he grew, so it was faster than the sand that he manipulates that isn't carried with him at all times. I knew that eventually, due to the limited information on him, he would form his protective shell…so all I had to do was release my clay into that single arm of sand. Then…I used the last of my clay to form that bird that caused him to hide in his shell. The explosion masked the explosive growth and activation of my spiders…and now the fool pays. Not just for my arm, either. But for making me waste my specialty. Hah…what a fool.'_ Deidara thought, and urged his bird forward slowly.

He watched with interest as slowly…ever so slowly, the sand from the floating shell slowly started to fall away. Just like the sand dripping down in an hourglass. He grinned. Victory was his.

-------------------------------

Kankuro was observing the battle, and had nearly peed his pants when the giant clay doll had fallen towards the city. He had been resting on the railing, eyes wide, when the sand from the streets came alive and surged skywards. It had knocked him on his back, but Kankuro knew immediately what was happening.

The explosion started, but all they could see was the bottom of a giant sand platform. It covered ¼ of the entire village…and that was an impressive feat even for Gaara. However, Kankuro quickly abandoned his post so he could properly see the rest of the battle. From his previous point…his sight was blocked by the sand.

By jumping from roof-to-roof, it took a few minutes for him to reach a vantage point from which he could see the rest of the battle unfold. What he saw shocked him.

Gaara had just gone completely into his protective shell due to an explosion right at the base of the shell, and Kankuro watched carefully. Didn't the Akatsuki know by now that a direct attack wouldn't work?

However, Kankuro's eyes widened as he saw the Akatsuki raise his hand and yell his word for activating his clay. He saw Gaara's shell bulge from an explosion within the orb…and he felt a cold knife pierce his heart. _'No…no…no.'_ Kankuro thought, and then saw the Akatsuki slowly approaching the orb. The orb…was slowly dissipating. That meant that Gaara was badly injured, or even dead.

"GAARA!" Kankuro yelled, anger and despair exploding within him. "GAARA!" he yelled again, and clenched the railing he was currently holding.

The sand from the orb continued to fall…and it eventually thinned to a thinner tube-like form. Suddenly…the Sand Platform above the city started to move. The movement was audible, like someone pushing a heavy object across the floor. It made Kankuro's teeth vibrate, and his bones tremble.

"No." Kankuro whispered, and he knew Gaara had been defeated. Gaara was removing the sand platform with the last of his power, desperate to remove it before he lost consciousness and control of the sand.

He watched at the platform slowly flew towards the protective cliffs surrounding Sunagakure, and he gripped the metal handrail tighter. The sand from the sphere still fell away. And it was starting to reveal a slouched, defeated Gaara. The only thing that gave away Gaara's consciousness was his hands were raised slightly away from his body, guiding the sand platform away. The Akatsuki had stopped moving, obviously letting Gaara attempt his last act as Kazekage.

Kankuro was far away, but he knew his brother well. He could tell Gaara was fighting desperately to use the last of his Chakra to move the Sand Platform away. Kankuro gritted his teeth, fiery anger coursing through his body. The Akatsuki had another thing coming to him if he thought he could just take Gaara without a fight!

The sand platform reached the border cliffs, much to Kankuro's relief, and then collapsed. It became apart of the desert again, and Kankuro smiled softly up at his younger sibling. "There you go Gaara. Good job." He whispered, and then watched helplessly as the last remaining sand dropped off Gaara's body. He remained there for a moment, hovering in the air through some means, which escaped Kankuro.

The Akatsuki watched as Gaara cast one last look at his village with his pale green eyes, and Gaara visibly sagged into unconsciousness. His cracked sand-armor made him look even worse than he probably was…but that explosion still had beaten him badly. Kankuro watched as Gaara finally let go…and slipped away. Gaara fell, his body limp, and plummeted towards the Sand Village. All eyes were glued to the sight of their Fallen Kazekage, some with tears in their eyes.

The Akatsuki swooped low, and used his bird's back to easily catch the falling Gaara. Gaara was then wrapped up by the clay bird's tail, which surprised Kankuro as the bird still flew steadily. It didn't need its 'tail feathers'. Kankuro looked back towards the area he had recently vacated…where Baki still was.

"BAKI!" Kankuro shouted, still within hearing distance. He could spot his old instructor as Baki looked at him, and Baki immediately sprang into action.

"Quickly! Open fire, Volley one!" Baki's deep voice barked. The Ninja around the Village had brought out giant wooden devices that were like oversized bows. The Ninja around him scurried into action, aiming their large catapult-like devices at the flying Akatsuki. Then…they launched their projectiles.

Deidara was surprised when the arrows, which were just about as big around as he was, whizzed past him. He caught sight of exploding tags on the shaft of the arrows, and quickly sent his bird into a dive. The arrows exploded over his head, and Deidara laughed at the puny explosives.

"IF YOU WANT TO KILL ME, YOU'LL HAVE TO PACK A BIGGER PUNCH!" Deidara taunted, yelling loudly over the explosions.

His taunt was answered by several volleys at once. Deidara paled slightly as he noticed the tags again. They were bigger. They _definitely _packed a bigger punch. He sent his bird into evasive maneuvers, heading towards the entrance of Suna the whole time, and evaded the massive blasts that turned the sky around him red with flames.

Baki, back at the rooftops, ordered the devices handlers to lead the target carefully. "Don't let that scum leave with our Kazekage! He saved us…we could at least do the same for him!" He roared, and the ninja roared in affirmation.

Deidara paled as he narrowly avoided swarms of exploding arrows, getting his hair singed multiple times, and he barely stayed ahead of them. _'They're good. If it was any ninja with skills slightly lesser than mine…they would already be dead.'_ Deidara thought, sweating slightly.

He finally escaped the archer's range, and soared towards the entrance of Sunagakure, where Sasori would be waiting for him. He looked at the entrance as he rapidly drew closer, and saw the faint hunch-backed form of Sasori at the entrance. Deidara knew Sasori wouldn't be happy. Sasori _hated_ waiting.

-------------------------------------------

Kankuro watched breathlessly as the Suna Ninja Archers fired their volleys of exploding arrows, knowing that if even one of them misaimed…Gaara could end up dead. _'But,' _Kankuro thought gravely, _'having Gaara dead is better than leaving him alive for torture and who knows what else.'_

The Akatsuki escaped the volleys of arrows unharmed and soared away silently. Kankuro had leapt from roof to roof when the firing had started, and had landed next to Baki. Baki ordered a cease-fire when the Akatsuki was plainly out of range.

"Baki…I'm going after him. I can stop him…me and my puppets. He won't stand a chance." Kankuro said, not addressing his former instructor by any specific ranks…since Baki and he were both Jonin now. It served as a reminder for Baki, so Baki would remember that Kankuro couldn't be bossed around by him…and so Baki would remember that Kankuro was Gaara's brother. The Kazekage's brother, whose duty it was to protect his younger sibling and leader.

"Kankuro, wait! We'll gather patrols as soon as we can, but we can't rush out unprepared. We have to make sure that as few as possible lives are lost. If we can amass enough numbers…the Akatsuki won't win and we'll retrieve Gaara easily!" Baki roughly yelled. Kankuro had already shifted his scroll-holster on his back. He was ready to go.

"No. I'll go now. Make sure a squad of Anbu meets me at the village entrance. Hurry." Kankuro said, and jumped from the rooftop.

Baki yelled after him, obviously hating the order, "Fine, Kankuro…but don't do anything stupid! Just hold the enemy up! Don't fully engage them! We can't risk you getting killed!"

Kankuro didn't look back, he just kept springing from rooftop to rooftop with the aid of his chakra, and he flew towards the fleeing Akatsuki. He would get Gaara back.

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[Konohagakure-The Village Hidden in the Leaves-9:35 p.m.

Kakashi ducked beneath a chakra-enhanced punch from Sakura, just barely, and then jumped backwards. He had pinned Naruto to a tree with kunai, just barely managing to pin the blonde's clothes to a tree-trunk. Said ninja was having an awful hard time pulling the kunai and shuriken loose.

Sakura, paused her attack as Kakashi jumped back. She had to give Naruto cover as best as she could…because he had the timing down when to give her the signal when the final stage of their plan could be pulled off.

She glanced back slightly, keeping an eye on Kakashi through her peripheral vision. Naruto was vainly tugging at the handle of a kunai that pinned him to a thick trunk, comically grunting and yanking…but to no avail. He was successfully pinned. Sakura mentally shook her head in disappointment.

'_**Damn that Naruto! I thought he was faster and stronger than that! He shouldn't have been caught so easily!'**_Inner Sakura yelled, punching the air in anger. Sakura desperately wanted to yell it herself, but barely stopped herself.

"Naruto! Come on!" She yelled desperately, as she saw Kakashi prepare a Jutsu attack.

"KATON: Goukakyuu no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Grand Fireball Technique!)" Kakashi yelled, arching his back and then blowing at the tips of his fingers. A massive fireball erupted into existence, flying towards Sakura. Sakura quickly jumped backwards a bit, gaining just a few more seconds to think of how to help Naruto as the fireball soared towards her.

Suddenly, another Naruto landed in front of her. He had jumped out of the trees, while another jumped at Kakashi. Kakashi cursed his thoughtlessness. He should have known that Naruto would perform Shadow Clones…yet again. He dispatched the Shadow Clone in a single chop-thrust to the throat, and watched to see how Sakura and Naruto would deal with the fireball that was literally right on top of them.

Kakashi watched with pride as Naruto yelled, "Rasengan!" and thrust his chakra-orb filled right hand forward. He had formed it one handed.

A small explosion took place, wind blowing fiercely as the Rasengan met the fireball dead on and blasted it into non-existence. The Naruto still stuck to the tree puffed into non-existence, and Naruto said, "Makeout Paradise."

Sakura nodded, and jumped towards Kakashi. She angled her approach so that she ended up on his left. Naruto did the same thing, except he was on Kakashi's right. Kakashi glanced at both of them quickly, and then the two jumped at him.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei! You want to know the ending to that book I gave you? Well, the main character finally falls for:…" He paused for a moment as he soared towards Kakashi, who slapped his hands to his ears instinctively.

'_NO! SPOILERS!'_ Kakashi thought, and angrily kept himself from hearing Naruto's words.

'_Crap! With my Sharingan…I can read his lips! DANG IT! NOOOO!' _Kakashi mentally wailed, and quickly slammed the lids of his eyes shut. He scrunched them tight, anxious to prevent Naruto from spoiling the ending to his book.

Kakashi felt no pain from hits…but he did feel a strange tugging. He opened his eyes…to find the two teenager shinobi standing in front of him with wide grins on their faces. Each of them were holding a bell, which _had_ been tied to the front of his vest, in their hands and were gently ringing it.

Kakashi slumped his shoulders, not in defeat, but in relief. The spoilers had been avoided. Then…he straightened. "Hahaha. Good job, guys. Good job." He laughed, and rubbed his head. He should have never gotten distracted by his book. Dang it.

Naruto laughed. "It's okay, Kakashi-sensei. I actually never read past five pages of the book. I found it way too stupid and boring. I'm surprised you actually read that perverted crap."

Kakashi glared at the young boy, lowering his headband at a slant so that is covered his left eye…and most of his left face. "You have no appreciation for great stories, idiot." Kakashi scolded, and Sakura laughed.

"I tried to read it as well. I found it _waaay_ to pervy and without sufficient storyline to hold my attention." Sakura said, and turned away as she heard each of their names called.

"Naruto! Sakura! Kakashi!" yelled an approaching Tsunade. Behind her, approaching as well, was Jiraiya, Shikimaru, Shizune, and Temari. Temari, Shikimaru, and Shizune were grinning…but the two Sannin weren't.

Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi all bowed to Tsunade briefly, and then waited for her to speak. She smiled softly at Kakashi. "Well…what do you think?"

Kakashi rubbed his sore right shoulder. "I think you taught her too much for her own good." He laughed softly, and Tsunade grinned proudly.

"I think that Naruto…is a bit better than before." Kakashi said bluntly.

Naruto fell to the ground in shock, unbelieving that Kakashi would dismiss his skills. Jiraiya helped his pupil up, grinning. "Come ON, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto wailed, and Kakashi laughed. It wasn't a polite laugh, or even a held-in-check laugh. It was a deep, 'I'm actually laughing', belly laugh. "HAHAHA! Of course, Naruto. Fine, fine, fine." Kakashi said, holding his hands up.

"You did great Naruto. You…were unbelievably improved. Being able to form Rasengan in one hand at your age, forming Shadow Clones faster than even I can see, creating a whole horde of Shadow Clones in an instant…you've improved greatly. But…I didn't see any new moves." Kakashi said, and Naruto shrugged.

"I'm waiting for a special occasion before I unleash all my new moves." Naruto said simply, and everyone understood. They were moves to specifically work against Sasuke.

Jiraiya gave a confident head nod, and Kakashi turned to Tsunade. "Tsunade-sama. I believe that Team Kakashi is fit for action." He said, surprising everyone except for Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Shizune.

"Team Kakashi? We're still going to be a squad?" Sakura asked, bewildered.

Naruto gave a grim smile. "Of course we are. We're a family…and together we'll bring Sasuke back."

Kakashi smiled underneath his mask. They were still dedicated to Sasuke…they were a true family. They were the ninja that never gave up on their comrades.

"Good. You will report to me in two days, understood? That will give Naruto plenty of time to get re-acquainted with Konoha again…and it will give him plenty of time to reunite with old friends." Tsunade said, smiling.

Shikimaru had a thoughtful look on his face, and Temari smiled. "I know! What way better to get together with old friends…than to have a party?"

Naruto pumped his fist in the air. "YEAH! My apartment's kinda small, though. Maybe we could have a party out in a restaurant…because it would be impossible for EVERYONE to fit in my apartment." Naruto said, after consideration.

Temari smiled. "Yeah. I haven't been to a party in ages…and it would be great to get everyone who participated in the Chunin exam all those years ago together again."

Sakura smiled. "I can make reservations at that Korean Barbecue house that Shikimaru and Choji eat at all the time. It's spacious enough, and we can reserve the back party room." She offered, and Shikimaru gave a semi-bored nod.

"At least I don't get stuck with anything troublesome." Shikimaru muttered, but Naruto spoke up.

"Shikimaru…I won't be able to find everyone by myself. You've got the most current information…so could you find your team members and help me hunt down Team 8 and Team Gai?" Naruto asked, and Shikimaru hung his head.

"Yeah…even though it's troublesome." He sighed, and Naruto jumped excitedly.

"YEAH! This will be a party to remember!" Naruto exclaimed, and Tsunade smiled.

"Hey, brat, mind if we tag along?" Tsunade asked, indicating to the older ninja.

"Sure, Baa-chan! Go ahead. We're all friends…not _just_ the rookie nine." Naruto replied, and Kakashi gave a thumbs-up. He would definitely show up. Especially if it was Korean Barbecue.

Suddenly, the air was filled with a loud rumbling. The sound emanated from a certain blond, who clutched his stomach in embarrassment. "Ahh…I forgot to eat lunch! I was going to have Ichiraku's…but I didn't manage to get there yet." Naruto mumbled weakly.

Sakura smiled, as did the others, and laughed. Ichiraku's was to be expected for Naruto. "Well…I'm going to go to bed…it is good to have you back, Naruto. I'll see you tomorrow evening. Make sure to contact me with the time of the party." Tsunade said, and walked away with Shizune.

Shikimaru sighed, and Temari smiled. "I'm going to go too. I've got to get some rest for tomorrow. You guys did amazing…I'm surprised you both aren't Jonin yet."

Naruto grinned in pride, and Sakura waved farewell. Shikimaru followed Temari without a word, walking close to the blond-haired Kunoichi. Sakura noted, that he was walking so close their arms would touch from time to time. Neither acknowledged the touching as they walked away, and Sakura smiled. _'So they're…' _She thought.

"Hey, Master Kakashi! Will you treat us to Ramen as a job well done reward?" Naruto asked, butting into Sakura's thoughts.

They looked expectantly at Kakashi, who was reading his new Make-out Tactics book again. He didn't look up at them, but sighed. "Nope, sorry. I have to go…fill out new squad paperwork and stuff. Later."

He disappeared in a puff of smoke with a single hand sign, never looking up from his book. Naruto sighed. "Dang it. He probably just wants to finish reading his book."

Sakura nodded, and Naruto quickly took out his frog money purse. As he opened it, he realized it was empty. The only one left, who just took notice to Naruto's money-searching, was Jiraiya. He squinted his eyes and opened his mouth to speak, but Naruto beat him to the punch.

"Hey, Master Jiraiya…can you lend me some money?" Naruto asked, pleading.

Jiraiya wasn't stupid…he knew Naruto could scrounge up enough Ryo to feed himself. He wanted to buy dinner for Sakura, too. _'Seeing as these two are _finally_ 'together' after all these years…I guess I can give him some.'_

Jiraiya fished out his own Frog money-purse, and tossed it to Naruto. It was smaller than Naruto's, because it was Jiraiya's smaller spare wallet, but it would have enough to feed both teenagers. After all, Naruto did manage to steal the bells. They did a great job on it.

"Sure…but don't expect a birthday present from me." Jiraiya chuckled, and walked away. Sakura stood patiently, blushing slightly as she realized Naruto's plan.

"I don't think you've ever been to Ichiraku's…have you Sakura?" Naruto asked, as he counted the Ryo. Yup, he would have enough to take Sakura out for sure!

"I've passed it…but never eaten there." Sakura admitted, but she didn't say that she passed it and talked to the owners to talk about Naruto. She had visited all the places he used to go…so she could remember him better.

"Good. Would you like to eat there with me?" He asked, and Sakura thought about it for a moment. She wanted to go with Naruto, make it their first official date, but she wasn't sure if she should. They had already moved fast…making out in the hospital and kissing in the middle of the training exercise. But…actually going out to a restaurant with Naruto when she would have to get to work early in the morning…she wasn't sure.

Naruto, apparently misreading her misgiving, hurriedly said, "Y'know…like on a date?"

Sakura couldn't help but smile at him. Maybe Tsunade would forgive her for not coming in as early as usual. "Sure, Naruto. I would love to go on a date with you." She said, and smiled. She casually removed her leather gloves and put them in her pouch attached to the back of her belt.

"Great, Sakura-chan!" Naruto said, grinning widely. He pocketed Jiraiya's frog wallet, and then extended his arm for Sakura. She took it, wrapping her arm tightly in his, and smiled at him as they began walking. Maybe she could take this time to learn more about him…to actually get to know him behind his knuckleheaded jokester mask.

Naruto had sent a shadow clone ahead to order their Ramen and pay the proper amount, so that they could and eat as soon as they got to Ichiraku's. Sakura had to admit…the Shadow Clone skill came in handy.

They had arrived at Ichiraku's after a comfortably silent walk, and eaten right away. She asked questions as she ate, and Naruto answered. She asked the small things first. His favorite color, which was two colors tied for first: Red and Orange. She asked what his favorite animal was…which it turned out to be a fox. (Go figure.) His favorite food was obviously ramen, and she learned a lot of interesting small things. She had slowly been building up to a question that was burning in her mind ever since they had walked into the village arm-in-arm.

She took a deep breath, gathering her courage, and then asked the question. "Naruto…is it okay if we show affection in public? I mean…holding hands, linking arms, hugging…" She paused and blushed as she considered her next word. "Or kissing?"

Naruto paused, and he immediately knew why she was asking. On their way here, he had seen disbelieving yet angry faces as he was seen with Sakura. Disbelieving because of him still being alive…but angry because he was with Sakura, the Fifth Hokage's apprentice. They cast glares at Sakura because of her showing affection for the blonde, but they were mainly directed at the male shinobi because he _obviously_ had done something to trick this Kunoichi into liking him. But, the silence that Sakura and he had shared wasn't uncomfortable due to that…in fact it was made more comfortable due to the security Sakura felt with Naruto by her side.

Naruto bowed his head slightly, gazing away from Sakura. 'Old Man', as Naruto called him, who owned Ichiraku stopped and stared with concern at Naruto. Naruto was a friend of his and his daughter, and they were beyond glad when Naruto came in after two years of being gone. They were _ecstatic_ as they found out he was bringing a girl…a date! Now, they realized at the same time as the two teenagers…that her being with Naruto was dangerous.

Naruto sighed. "I don't think it _is_ safe. Even with all my new skills…I don't want to risk that they would hurt you. I couldn't hurt the villagers, no matter what. But…I don't want you hurt either. They could hurt you…kill you, even. I only survive because the Fox. You don't have that regenerative ability. I can't risk you being seen with me in public being affectionate…around the villagers. Most of the other Ninja don't hate me at all…but there are those like Mizuki who still harbor hate in their heart."

Sakura cast her eyes down to her now empty ramen bowl. Naruto looked up at her, pain written all over his face. Earlier, right before she started to ask questions, she had demanded him not to hide anything. He wasn't hiding behind his mask…he was being open completely. As she looked back up at him, the pain she saw on his face almost broke her heart.

She felt her stubbornness kick in, and she felt her resolve harden. Just because Naruto didn't want to hurt them, didn't mean she didn't have to hurt them in self-defense. She could take _anything_ that the villagers threw her way…and she would have the Hokage's support as well. To Hell with the villagers hatred! She wasn't going to give up Naruto, or her right to openly show affection for her new love just because Naruto didn't want her hurt. She was a ninja…a strong one at that. She was the apprentice of the Fifth Hokage, the Slug Sannin, and she was not scared by what _could_ happen.

She set her mouth in a firm line, and a hard glint shone in her eyes. Naruto knew that look from when he was younger. "I'm not a china-doll that's easily broken, Naruto. I'm a strong Kunoichi now. Just because I'm a girl who likes to be gentle and affectionate…doesn't mean I can't defend myself. I don't care what the villagers might do. If anything happens, I can take care of myself…and then I can have Tsunade help deal with the problem. Everyone will think twice about messing with the Apprentice of the Hokage. I'm not going to not be affectionate with you in public just because the villagers. Screw them!" She ended angrily, huffing and crossing her arms.

Her green eyes lost their angry fire, and Naruto smiled softly. This is what he loved about her…her resolve. He couldn't help himself as he leaned forward, and kissed Sakura gently on her lips. She was surprised by the sudden action, but gave in to it. She figured she would prove she wasn't scared, and this was a nice…incentive.

They both had their eyes closed as they kissed, but both heard the curtain blocking the Ichiraku booth being drawn aside. "EH!?!? NARUTO? SAKURA?" came a familiar voice, half-yelling. It startled the two teenagers, and they hastily withdrew from their kiss.

Standing with hands at their sides, jaw dropped open, and eyes wider than the Ichiraku bowls of ramen…was Iruka. His face was twitching in shock, and he had a tape in one of his hands. The tape dropped from his hands, and Sakura and Naruto blushed in embarrassment of their old instructor just happening to come in right as they kissed.

"Eh…how's it going, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto sheepishly asked. His face was a bright red, and he looked like a lobster of some kind.

Iruka recovered, and stammered. "I-I figured you would be here by yourself…I didn't e-expect for you to be here with Sakura."

Sakura felt it was best she gave a reason for their kiss. "We're, uh, dating now…Iruka-sensei." She said, and Iruka raised an eyebrow.

"Oh…I guess that would explain that moment on the tape…huh?" Iruka said, and indicated to the tape.

"What moment?" Sakura asked, eyes wide.

"Well, Shizune dropped off a tape of your guys' training. She video-taped all your battles, and that included your little moment after dealing with Kakashi's transformed Shadow Clones." Iruka explained, picking up the tape.

"You watched it that fast?" Naruto asked, and Iruka raised an eyebrow.

"Fast? I've been watching for near two and a half hours. It's midnight." Iruka said.

Sakura jumped up. "WHAT? Oh man…and I have to go to work tomorrow at six o'clock!" She wailed, and Naruto sighed.

"Actually…Sakura…I sent that Shadow Clone earlier to ask Tsunade for a day off tomorrow for you. She said yes. I was going to tell you after we got done tonight." Naruto hastily interrupted, and Sakura sighed in relief.

"Oh…thank you. I was afraid I'd have to work with only a few hours sleep tonight." Sakura laughed, and Iruka smiled.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on your improvement in skill, Naruto. I'm so proud of your growth." Iruka said, and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Hahaha…thanks Iruka-sensei. I appreciate it." Naruto laughed, rubbing his head in embarrassment.

"No problem. I'm going to go…and let you guys finish your date. Shizune also told me there was a party…and I hope you wouldn't mind if I came?" Iruka hesitantly asked, and Naruto wrapped his father-figure in a big hug.

"Of course! I was going to come by the academy tomorrow and give you the final details…so I'll do that anyway. But at least now I know you'll come!" Naruto laughed, and Iruka smiled as he hugged Naruto back.

"Well, I'll go get rest then. Have a good night!" Iruka said, and hastily retreated from the Ichiraku booth.

Sakura and Naruto both yawned at the same time, and the Old Man laughed from behind the counter. "Ah, you two! Go get some rest. We're closing now, anyway! You need to get some sleep." He chuckled, and put down a bowl he was cleaning.

Naruto paid for the ramen and said, "You can come to the party as well, Old Man. It's gonna be at Ikonoku Barbecue…and I'll swing by later tomorrow and give you the time."

The Old Man nodded, and his daughter smiled. "That would be great, Naruto. Thanks for inviting us. We'll be there, no matter what time it is."

Naruto laughed and exited the stand with Sakura, yelling, "Well, then, good night!"

Sakura and Naruto both paused, and Sakura hesitantly asked, "Will you walk me to my house?"

She wasn't scared…but she didn't want Naruto to leave her just yet. Naruto nodded. "Are you still living with your parents, Sakura-chan?" He asked, and she shook her head 'no'.

"I live in an apartment…it's about a block away from yours." She said, and Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"You mean you actually know where I live?" Naruto asked, and Sakura giggled.

"Of course I do, dummy." She said, and Naruto smiled.

"Well then, of course I'll walk you to your apartment." Naruto laughed, and held out his arm. Sakura didn't take his arm this time, but put her left hand in his offered right hand…and laced her fingers with his. He smiled, and she returned it. The full moon shone down on them, and they began to walk down the silent and sleeping streets of Konoha.

They were silent as they walked, until Sakura decided to ask one last question for the night. "Naruto…will you answer a question for me?" She asked.

"Yeah, of course, Sakura-chan." Naruto replied, glancing at her.

"First off…drop the 'chan'. It's cute…but you don't need to add the suffix. We'll be intimate…and just call each other by our first names plainly. But…the question is: What will you do to Sasuke when you find him?" Sakura asked, and Naruto continued to walk.

He was silent for a while, obviously trying to find a way to tell her. "I'll keep my promise, Sakura. Even if I have to hurt him a lot, or knock him unconscious…I'll keep my promise. Mainly because I know that Tsunade and you can heal him from anything I do to him, but also because I know he won't come easy. It'll be tough…but I'll fight him again and I'll win and bring him back." Naruto said softly.

Sakura's vision suddenly flashed white, and Sakura saw a vision in her mind.

(_Flashback_)

_Sasuke, completely changed by his Curse Mark, had his hand thrust through Naruto's shoulder. Electricity crackled and hissed and chirped from Sasuke's hand. Naruto felt pure agony swell through his body as the Chidori pierced the Kyuubi Chakra shell and drilled a hole through his shoulder. He managed to scratch Sasuke's headband…but his Rasengan failed as Sasuke won the battle._

_Naruto's form returned to its normal state…and Sasuke's curse Mark faded and he returned to human form. The electricity still crackled for a moment, but then it faded. Sasuke withdrew his arm from Naruto's shoulder, and Naruto fell backwards onto the ground…unconscious._

(_End Flashback_)

Sakura's hand dropped from Naruto's, and she fell to her knees. Naruto was asking her if she was okay, but she couldn't respond. She stared down at the ground, as her world flashed white again.

(_Flashforward_)

_Naruto, sweating and bleeding from a dozen cuts and gashes, was panting. His red, slitted eyes were glaring at the matching red eyes of a three-comma Sharingan. Sasuke, sweating and panting, yet unharmed…held his shattered sword in his hands._

_Sakura was watching the two, as she lay on the ground, stunned and unable to move. She was on her back, watching the two glare at each other from across a lake. Not just a lake, she realized, but the Valley of the End. She was on the rocks on the shore of the lake, unhurt but definitely paralyzed for the moment._

_Naruto's orange and black jumpsuit was tattered and stained with his own blood, and he looked like he had definitely seen better days. _

_Sasuke, garbed in black pants, an open white long sleeved shirt, with a traditional Sound rope belt wrapped around his waist…was completely the opposite of Naruto. He was clean, although sweating and panting, and his clothing bore no scuffs of any kind._

"_I'm done playing Sasuke. I'm bringing you back, just like I promised! Not even you can stop me now! I'm stronger than you'll ever be!" Naruto rasped, his demon-influenced body shaking in anger._

_Sasuke's eyes were wide, glaring at the resilient blond. "No you're not. See?"_

_Sakura wanted to scream as she saw another Sasuke appear behind Naruto, Chidori charged fist cocked backwards and ready to strike. But…Sakura couldn't make a noise. She could only watch through tear-filled eyes._

_Naruto roared in pain as his right shoulder was pierced, in the exact spot as he had been pierced years before. Sakura could only watch in horror as the first Sasuke raised what was left of his shattered sword, and then plunged it down into the top of Naruto's shoulder. Naruto screamed again, and tears blocked Sakura's vision as they spilled out like a river._

(_End Flashforward_)

The end. BWAHAHAHA! The end of the story. Haha, just joking! I hope you guys liked this chapter. The next chapter will have a little action really…just a lot of relationship stuff and re-gathering of friends at the party! And…I might continue the whole Gaara being captured stuff next chapter. Review please.


	5. Chapter 5

Well, this is a large chapter with hardly any action. Just a bit at the beginning… and at the end, it will have some of the Gaara Retrieval with Kankuro…but not much. This is a fluffy chapter. So, enjoy this chapter. In addition…just a little pre-chapter rant…I think that in the Naruto series it will be Sakura and Sasuke. (Don't kill me peoples!) Because, Hinata and Naruto fit too well together to not be together unless Hinata dies. I'm pretty sure her and Kiba won't get together. So, if Hinata dies or something, man that would suck, but then we know it will be Naruto and Sakura. Unless he stays a bachelor. ;) But I'm so conflicted…Naruto and Sakura…or Naruto and Hinata? ARGH! MASASHI KISHIMOTO-SENSEI! WHY DO YOU TORMENT ME? Anyway. Enjoy!

Reviews:

Moonwaterpetal: I know…I know. I apologize, but it was essential to leave you hanging. At least I got the desired result. ;) But, trust me…it's all worth it. And thank you for the compliment. :D

CrazyKidDeath: EVERYTHING has to do with Kyuubi, silly. ;) No, but seriously…I can't tell you that yet. Trust me when I tell you all will be revealed….eventually. BWAHAHAHA!

quivering quill: No, not a seer. Not really, at least. Don't worry…I'll explain in later chapters.

slickrick3: You really think I'm that good? Thank you for the compliment. MY PASSION IS LIT ANEW!!! YOSH!

kyuubu no kituson, MiseryluvsDeath, and Gnosismaster: Thank you all…and I hope that I will please you with this chapter. I know it's not much…but it's just an intro. The next chapter is gonna rock somethin' major. ;)

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT...and likely never will…OWN NARUTO!

Chapter 5: The Party [part 1

Sakura became aware of several things as her consciousness was regained. The first thing was that she was lying on a soft bed. The second was that the room she was in didn't smell like her room…but it smelled good. The third thing that she noticed was she had a cold damp rag on her forehead that felt quite refreshing. She also realized that her lips and throat were extremely dry…and she really wished she had a cup of water.

"You're awake, Sakura-chan? Good…here's some water." She heard a familiar voice say.

'_Who is that…and how did they know I'd need water?'_ Sakura thought, puzzled.

She opened her eyes as she felt a firm hand gently hold the back of her head and lift her into a sitting position. She squinted as the bright light of the sun shone through the room, and she saw a concerned Naruto next to her bed, holding a cup of water in front of her. He gently brought it to her lips, and he carefully tipped it so that a small trickle would go into Sakura's mouth. He didn't want to overwhelm her with a whole deluge of water.

She opened her green eyes all the way, pulling back from the deliciously cold liquid. She removed the rag from her forehead and spoke softly. "I can do it…I'm fine."

Naruto gave her a quick look of skepticism…but then allowed her to do it herself. She drank the cup of water as Naruto withdrew his hand from the back of her head, and enjoyed the refreshing liquid as it wet her parched throat and lips.

She finished the water, and handed the cup back to Naruto. He took it, and set it on the nightstand next to his bed. Sakura blushed as she realized that's where she was. She was lying on his bed…under his covers…in his room…in his apartment.

Naruto realized what she was blushing about and smiled. "Yeah…sorry about taking you here. I didn't want to break into your apartment…so I just brought you here."

She then realized, with anger and embarrassment…that she was in her pajamas. That meant that she had been unclothed and re-clothed…by him. She did what came natural to her.

_WHAM!_ Sakura's fist impacted with Naruto's face, and sent him flying backwards out of his bedroom and into the kitchen area. Her face was red as she clutched his bed covers to herself, and watched as Naruto tumbled to a stop. She quickly set the cup next to the alarm clock that was on a stand next to the bed, to her left.

"OW!" Naruto yelled as he picked himself up, rubbing his nose.

"You idiot! You undressed me!?" She yelled, and Naruto stared at her with a puzzled look.

"Well…I figured you wouldn't want to sleep in the sweaty and grimy clothes you had on last night. I didn't look…I swear. I had a Shadow Clone do it." He said, completely honestly, rubbing his sore nose.

She bowed her head, and then raised an eyebrow suspiciously, as she raised her head to look at him. "How did you get my PJ's without breaking into my apartment?"

Naruto walked over and sat on the edge of his bed, just out of her reach, and explained. "Well, after I stopped panicking and realized that you were relatively fine…I realized I didn't have to break in to get in your apartment. I sent a shadow clone, had him transform into a bug…and then he went in and got your stuff. He exited through a small window, and closed it behind him. Then he came here, and I left the room as he undressed and redressed you. Your other change of clothes are in the bathroom. I figured you would want to take a shower once you woke up…" He trailed off.

Sakura still hadn't stopped blushing. "Oh. I'm sorry I hit you…I just assumed…" Now she trailed off.

"That I was as perverted as Jiraiya? Not a chance." Naruto grinned as he replied.

Sakura smiled and lowered the covers from her body. She was in one of her most comfortable and nicest of sleepwear items…a light pink silk nightgown that extended to her mid-thigh. It had lace trim around the bottom, and it had a cute pink ribbon that tied around her waist. Naruto averted his eyes from her, afraid she'd hit him if he glanced at her. She giggled, and rose out of bed. "Relax…I won't hit you. Well, unless you get all pervy on me."

Naruto grinned and looked at her, making sure he didn't let his gaze drift downward…though it was hard not to. Naruto could tell, just through peripheral vision…that Sakura had a knockout figure now. She had _definitely _grown up.

Naruto stammered as he motioned to a door right across from his bed. "T-t-there's the bathroom. Your toothbrush and toothpaste and other…stuff is there, too."

"Stuff?" Sakura asked.

"Ummm…undergarments…and other hygiene stuff." Naruto hesitantly said, and Sakura blushed. She hoped that the Shadow Clone had just quickly grabbed her undergarments and not sifted through them and tried to find a set of clothing that matched each other.

"Okay. Thank you. I'll be out soon." She promised, and walked into the bathroom. She shut the door behind her, and Naruto sighed in relief. He hadn't told Sakura that whenever Shadow Clones disappear…their memories merge with the creator's. So basically, the creator knows what happened…quite vividly. So it might as well have been Naruto doing all the stuff.

He quickly exited the room, and went to the kitchen. It was time to exercise his meager cooking skills to make a nice breakfast for Sakura. _'Hahaha…I'm making her breakfast in my apartment. I wonder if we'll do this more often?_' Naruto thought, and then quickly went about preparing toast, eggs, and bacon. He had two Shadow Clones help…and it was done by the time he heard Sakura shut off the water. He hurriedly cleaned up, set the table…and then waited for Sakura to come out. He hoped he did a nice enough job.

------------------------------------

Sakura stepped out of the shower, breathing a sigh of contentment. She was happy to feel clean again. She grabbed her towel that Naruto had brought from her apartment and dried off. Everything was so…clean. It was amazing how clean Naruto kept his house. Of course, everything was bare and old from him not being around for all those years…but it was still interesting in how clean it was.

She clothed herself, embarrassed as she realized that the Shadow Clone had indeed picked out a matching pair of undergarments. A black lace set. She blushed as she put it on, and then glanced at her neatly folded clothes. She wondered what it had picked for her to wear.

She had her towel wrapped up in a turban on her head, and scrutinized Naruto's Clone's choice. He had picked a casual set of clothing. There was a soft pink tee shirt that was slightly tight, with a red ribbon to tie her hair back, and a pair of tight, low-rider jeans. She raised her eyebrows and let a small grin form on her lips. It would show a little skin between her pants and shirt…but not much.

She giggled slightly, put on her designated clothing, and then brushed her hair and teeth. She used her other hygiene items, such as deodorant and perfume. He had brought a couple perfumes, obviously inexperienced in picking which one he thought would smell best on her. Though…she had plenty of time to train him in that department. She then slipped on a pair of ankle socks and then her recreational pink Converse High Tops that Naruto had brought from her house. Overall, he didn't do a bad job at all. He was good enough to get by.

She smiled as she gathered her supplies in a small organized group on the counter, and exited the bathroom. She quickly scanned Naruto's neat little bedroom, and found that the only decoration he had…were a few photo's and a poster above his bed. She walked over to the picture frames, curious as to what she would find.

She saw pictures of Naruto with the rookie nine…but surprisingly few photos. There was one with the shy and introverted Hinata Hyuga, one with Choji and Shikimaru at Yakoniku Korean Barbeque, one with Teuchi and Ayami from Ichiraku, one with Rock Lee and the rest of Team Guy…and then there were two photo's that were face down. She picked up one…and realized it was the photo of Team 7. It was just like the one she had. She gazed at it sadly, and set it up next to the others. She then picked up the last one, and looked at it in surprise. It was a picture from years and years ago, that Naruto had taken of her. They had been fooling around with Naruto's new camera…and had taken some playful shots. She had been laughing at a joke Naruto had told…and he had taken her picture. She thought it had been horrible, but Naruto had gotten a weird look on his face and said that it wasn't at all. He stated it was perfect.

She blushed as she realized that this photo frame was worn around the edges, showing that it was picked up a lot…because none of the other photo frames was worn down at all. This one was.

She set it down, and quickly exited the bedroom. She walked into the Kitchen, where Naruto stood waiting for her. He pulled out a seat, to which she walked over to and sat in, and he pushed her in gently. He then walked over to the counter and set a plate neatly decorated with two sunny-sides up eggs, two slices of toast, and four strips of bacon. He gave her a napkin and silverware, and then he set another plate down in his spot and sat down. He brandished his fork and said, "Well, I hope you like it."

Naruto seemed to remember something right as he was about to dig in to his food. "Ah! I forgot the Orange Juice." He made a Shadow Clone and the clone quickly prepared two cups of orange juice. It set them down, and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sakura smiled, gratefully sipped the juice, and then began to eat. It was very delicious. He cooked it just right and they both ate in silence. When they finished, Naruto made a clone clean up, and then he guided Sakura to the living room, which was right next to the living room. He sat her down gently and then said, "Sakura…what happened last night?"

He had been concerned for her, and wanted to know if everything was okay. Sakura spoke softly, locking gazes with him. He was kneeling in front of her, holding her hands between his.

"Naruto…I saw what happened to you at the Valley of the End. I saw Sasuke-kun, no,_ Sasuke_ in his curse-mark form…and I saw him stab you with Chidori. I saw you scratch his forehead protector as he pierced your Chakra shell with Chidori. I don't know how I saw it…but I saw it as if I was a spectator watching from the sidelines." She whispered, and she expected to see unbelief in his gaze.

But…there wasn't any. He believed her. "I see…so some kind of vision?" He asked, and Sakura nodded. Encouraged by his belief…she told him the rest.

"Then I saw you and Sasuke…older. Like in the current time…and you were both at the Valley of the End again. You were all beaten up…cut and bleeding. He was just sweating and holding his broken sword…and you were under the Kyuubi influence a bit. I was on the shoreline, stunned. You said that you were done playing around, and that Sasuke wasn't as strong as you were. Sasuke then…Sasuke then said that you weren't and must have done some kind of Shadow Clone Jutsu. A second Sasuke appeared behind you with Chidori and stabbed you where he stabbed you the first time…and then the real one stabbed you through the top of your shoulder with what was left of his sword." Sakura's voice cracked slightly as she re-envisioned what she saw. She shook her head slightly, clearing her thoughts.

"I see." Naruto murmured, and Sakura once again expected for him not to believe her. All she saw was thoughtfulness in his eyes…and then he stood.

"Naruto?" She asked…slightly anxious. She didn't know why she was anxious…but she was.

"I'm just going to go get ready for today." Naruto reassured her, and she felt relief flood through her. _'Why am I relieved? Why would I be worried about what he was going to do?'_ She thought.

"I have a TV…you can watch it if you want. I'll be out soon." Naruto said, and pointed to a small TV in the corner. Sakura didn't feel like watching television, though, and instead watched as Naruto quickly grabbed a set of clothing from his dresser drawers, and then entered his bathroom. He didn't shut it all the way, leaving only a crack in the door…just in case Sakura needed something.

She blushed as she saw him take off his jumpsuit jacket and his black tee shirt underneath it. She looked away, but the image was already in her head. He was definitely more muscular than what she had thought. He wasn't ripped…but his muscles were well-defined and visible. He had pale patches of skin on his body that were scars…and one right on his right shoulder. She tried not to grimace as she thought of the damage that had been done to him.

She was on the only piece of furniture in his living room…except for the small stand the 9-inch Television was on. The couch she was sitting on was comfy…and it was a dull tan color. The apartment walls were a dull white, dull from age, and everything seemed old but clean. But…it was too bare. '_We're definitely going to have to do something about his apartment._' Sakura thought.

Sakura looked out a window to her right, which gave a good view of the Hokage Monument and Ninja Academy. She smiled as she looked out at the village…but frowned when she saw a small crowd of villagers. They were obviously trying not to be too conspicuous as they crossed the village in her direction…but even from this distance, Sakura could tell that they were on a mission. It wasn't a good one either. She could see the men were intentionally hiding things in their large and bulky clothing and jackets…and Sakura immediately walked over to the bathroom door.

She almost knocked…but then had a better idea. She quickly grabbed her Kunai holster from the pile of her clothes as she quietly slipped in and out of the bathroom. She attached it to her right thigh, and then quickly exited the apartment. If they were coming to cause trouble for Naruto...then they would have something coming to them. Naruto was the only one who lived on this floor, and the other two floors below this were empty as well. No one wanted to live near the demon. Sakura quickly ran down the hall to the stairwell. She jumped down the winding concrete stairs, 4 stairs at a time, until she reached the first unpopulated level. She ran down the maroon carpeted hallway to the first available window that would show the crowd.

They were at the apartment building…just entering it. She was on the third floor, and Naruto lived on the fifth floor. She quickly prepared herself, calming her breathing and drawing a kunai knife and four shuriken. She faced the elevator, assuming that they would come from there first. She was right as a few moments later, the shiny elevator door dinged. The small hallway was big enough for the small crowd to walk in a 3x3 column if they were organized…which they weren't. They spilled out of the elevator, already having their concealed blades and clubs and bats withdrawn. Sakura did a quick count of the scruffy miscreants. '_9 men. Easy._' She thought.

'_**OH YEAH! I'M GONNA KICK THEIR BUTTS! TIME TO RIP THEM APART!' **_Inner Sakura yelled, pumping her fist wildly, throwing punches in the air.

Sakura shook her head, and faced the men who had frozen in their tracks at the sight of her. They were obviously not expecting to meet anyone…let alone someone armed with a kunai knife and shuriken. She wasn't wearing her headband or her ninja sandal boots, but they could tell from her stance she was experienced in combat. She was ready, and she was guarding the stairwell to the next few floors. The elevator didn't reach to the fourth or fifth levels.

"Hey…isn't that the girl who was with the demon the first day he came back?" Came a deep and dull sounding voice from the crowd of men.

"Yeah…it's the demon's bitch!" Another yelled, brandishing his knife.

Sakura didn't bat an eyelash at the comments. She spoke calmly, holding her weapons at the ready. "Excuse me…but if you're planning on causing trouble for _my _Naruto-kun, you had better leave. I don't want to hurt any of you…but I will if you try to hurt him." The men obviously didn't seem to know she was a _very_ experience Kunoichi, female ninja, and apprentice to the Fifth Hokage of Konoha. They simply licked their lips and grinned.

Their leader, a scruffy looking but muscular black haired man who wore a brown trench coat, stepped forward and pointed his bat at her. The bat had nails bent into the surface, a make-shift mace of some kind. "Step aside, bitch. He's ours."

Sakura only raised an eyebrow, and got a dangerous glint in her emerald eyes. She relaxed her posture, ready to move quickly. "I'm giving you to the count of three to leave…or I'll attack you." She said softly.

The men laughed, obviously not inclined to heed her warning. "Okay then. One." She said, but the only reaction she got was the ceasing of laughter from the men. The leader stepped forward, daring her to continue her count.

She obliged him. "Two." She said simply, and the men made serious faces. They wouldn't back down. Sakura hesitated…but only for a moment. "Two and a half." The men brandished their weapons eagerly, waiting.

"Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you." She chided gently, and the men laughed.

"Three." She said, and the men stopped laughing.

She threw all her Shuriken, aiming low to disable the men and not kill them, and took out the front row. The men cried out in pain as the metal bit deep into their flesh...probably even hitting bone, and then they collapsed. The rest of their comrades rushed forwards over their fallen friends, and Sakura laughed. Now there were six men. Too easy.

She jumped into the air, and threw her kunai knife into another man's shoulder. He fell, leaving only five men. Sakura landed in the middle of them, and unleashed a flurry of punches that made each and every man fly backwards and crash into the walls. She barely batted a lash as the man who had the kunai in his shoulder stood. She just punched him in the gut, unleashing Chakra, and shot him backwards into the wall where he left a body print. Sakura walked back to the stairwell slowly, stepping over the moaning men. "Get out of here. If you're not gone in five to ten minutes…I'll come back with a sword." She warned, and the men who could stand scampered to their feet.

She walked back up the stairs, taking her time, until she reached Naruto's floor. She entered his apartment, shutting the door gently behind her, and turned as she heard a loud bang. Naruto, eyes wide and filled with worry, was just coming out of the room as he was hastily pulling a black tee shirt over his clean orange jumpsuit pants.

"Sakura? Where were you? I saw you were gone…and I thought someone had…" He stammered, breathing heavily. He had been in a rush, she could tell. His hair was wet, his shirt was on backwards, and his pants weren't even buttoned.

"Sorry, Naruto. There was a problem downstairs with some rowdy guests, and I decided to help out. I'm sorry I worried you." She said, and he sighed.

"It's fine…I mean, I just figured that someone saw me carrying you here last night and figured they'd want to hurt you. I just overreacted. I'm sorry." He said, and Sakura walked over to him. His blond hair hung slightly over his eyes, and she used her hand to push the hair out of the way so she could look into his warm deep blue eyes.

"Don't worry…I can handle myself, Naruto." She murmured, and kissed him gently on the lips. He pulled away, a grin on his lips.

"True…you could demolish this building if you needed too." Naruto admitted, and she pushed him playfully away. "Go dry off. You have to look nice. We have to get the part things in order." She ordered, teasing him with a wink.

He grinned and walked back to the bathroom, shutting the door completely. _'So at least he trusts me to take care of myself.'_ She thought happily, and sat on the couch.

She smiled, and then her inner self yelled in excitement. _**'CHA! OH YEAH! HE LOOKED SO YUMMY I JUST WANTED TO, EEP!'**_ The thought that Inner Sakura had was so disturbing even she didn't say it. She covered her mouth in embarrassment and disappeared from Sakura's mind.

Sakura blushed. That was very…true. Strange, but true. He had looked so darn handsome. The shirt had clung to his wet chest, and she could clearly see the outline of his fit body. She slapped herself mentally. _'No. Take it slow. You don't want to ruin things by rushing them.'_ She scolded herself, and was content to simply wait for Naruto to finish getting dressed.

Sakura and Naruto had split up, and had gone their separate ways after calling Yakoniku Barbeque and reserving the back party room. It was a hefty price, but Naruto paid it himself…even after Sakura threatened him. She had wanted to pay for it, but he declined. He would pay for the room and party foods…it was her job to get people there at 7:00 that night.

Naruto had informed Teuchi and Ayami…and had spotted Shikimaru as he was on his way to the Academy. Both Temari and Shikimaru had agreed to help inform the others of the time, and Temari had dragged the unfortunate Shikimaru to get busy on their Mission assigned by Naruto.

Naruto was now watching from outside an academy door, as Iruka gave a history lesson to a class of youngsters. Naruto was watching silently as he stood out in the hallway, and listened intently.

"And then…on a night 14 and a half years ago…a demon attacked our village. It was the greatest demon in the world…The Nine Tailed Demon Kyuubi." Iruka said, and Naruto felt his spine stiffen in reaction. He calmed himself…and listened as Iruka continued.

"The Demon attacked without Provocation, and many brave shinobi lost their lives to the demon. When all hope seemed lost…our Hokage appeared. The Yellow Flash, the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, appeared on top of a giant summoned toad. The Yondaime used a forbidden Jutsu, summoning the Shinigami…the Death god. The Death god reached through the Fourth's stomach, and grabbed onto the evil Kyuubi. After a fierce struggle, the Death god swallowed both souls of the Fourth Hokage and the Kyuubi. The Fourth Hokage died that day to save his village…and give us the peace we have today." Iruka said, finishing. The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and all the children rushed out. A number of them passed Naruto, excusing themselves as they bumped into him, and Iruka glanced over.

Iruka's smile faltered for a split second, just because he knew Naruto had heard the history lesson. But then, Iruka grinned fully. He knew Naruto wasn't affected by the old story. Naruto grinned back and waded through the crowds of young academy students.

"Oi, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto called out.

"Hey, Naruto!" Iruka answered, and when they were close enough…Iruka embraced Naruto in a hug.

"Hehehe! It's all settled. The party is at Yakoniku Barbeque tonight at 7." Naruto said, and Iruka smiled.

"Great. I'll be there. Is it casual, or formal?" Iruka asked.

Naruto shrugged. "Casual I guess. Just wear whatever you want. It'll be back in the party room." Naruto answered.

Iruka's warm brown eyes seemed to glint with a mischievous light. "Wear _anything_?" He asked.

Naruto laughed. "Everything but a bunny suit." Naruto chuckled, and Iruka laughed right along. Just the mental image of Iruka in a bunny suit was enough to make them laugh so hard they cried.

Naruto and Iruka finally managed to stop as the next class filed in, and they wiped away their tears. "Hahaha! I'll see you tonight, Iruka-sensei." Naruto laughed.

Iruka gasped out, "Hahaha! Sure. See you, Hahaha, then!"

Naruto left, still imagining Iruka in a bunny suit, laughing his head off. It was only fifteen minutes later, as Naruto was walking down the main street of Konoha, that he managed to stop laughing.

He heard a familiar yell of triumph from the rooftops, and quickly jumped upwards towards the sound. On the rooftop, doing pushups, was Rock Lee and Might Guy. They ended as Rock Lee reached 2000 before Might Guy. "YOSH! I DID IT GUY-SENSEI!" An invigorated Rock Lee yelled.

Guy grinned and did the 'thumbs-up' gesture. "Yes you did, my bright pupil! Amazing! Oh…Naruto! Would you like to join us in a test of our physical prowess?" Guy asked, noticing the blond Shinobi.

"Nah…I came to invite you guys to my party tonight. It's at Yakoniku Barbeque at Seven O'clock." Naruto said. Guy and Lee immediately saluted.

"We'll be there! Would you like help finding anyone else?" Rock Lee asked.

"Sure. Shino is a pain in the butt to find…so if you could find the rest of your squad and Team 8…that'd be great. Oh…and if you could invite Asuma and Kurenai too. That would be great." Naruto said, and Lee immediately jumped up and down.

"GREAT! We shall carry out our mission Naruto! We will see you tonight at seven o'clock!" Lee yelled, and then disappeared in a blur with his Sensei.

Naruto shook his head. "Dang…they never get old." Naruto chuckled…and then continued on his path to find the rest of the Rookie 9.

Naruto was found by Sakura at around 5:00 that evening…both of them finished inviting their friends. "Everyone's been invited." She said, and Naruto acknowledged enthusiastically.

"Great! Now we have 2 hours for some free time before the party." Naruto said, and Sakura smiled.

"Naruto…I think I'm going to go relax at my apartment." Sakura said, and Naruto blinked.

"Oh. Okay." He said, and Sakura swallowed nervously. Should she ask what she was thinking? Should she invite him over?

They stood, silent. Naruto was only staying because he could tell Sakura wanted to say something…but was obviously battling whether or not to say it. "Sakura…what's the matter?" He asked, and she smiled softly.

"Am I that much of an open book?" She asked ruefully, and he shook his head.

"No…not all the time at least. I can usually tell when you are concerned or worried…or just plain thinking. I can tell a few subtle things like when you're indecisive like now…or the most obvious when you're angry." He replied, and glanced down at his feet.

"And…I can tell when you're thinking of Sasuke." Naruto finished softly.

Sakura swallowed nervously again. "How can you tell?" She asked.

Naruto looked at her, obviously uncomfortable with what he was saying. "When you think of Sasuke…you get this indefinable soft look in your eyes. And then…" Naruto looked down at the ground again. "Then you start rubbing your ring finger on your left hand…like you're fiddling with a wedding ring." He finished, murmuring softly.

Sakura felt her breath catch in her chest as he explained…and she honestly felt horrible. It must be like a slap in the face for him, every time she did that. She took a step forward, emboldened by the fact that she wanted to make it up to him now. "Naruto…will you come with me to my apartment and spend the rest of the time with me?" She asked.

Naruto looked back up, and had a soft smile on his face. "I…I guess, Sakura."

She held out her left hand to him, requesting for him to hold it, and he took it with his right hand. She laced her fingers through his, and then brought his hand to her lips and kissed the back of it. "I promise you, Naruto…that my heart only belongs to you. Not him." She murmured, and looked up at his eyes.

His blue eyes seemed to draw her in to their depths, and she felt herself begin to blush. She didn't know why…but she was. Naruto grabbed her hand in return, and brought it to his lips. He kissed the back of her soft hand, and she smiled as she felt the contact of his warm lips on the back of her hand.

"Sakura-chan…I believed you when you first said it…and I believe you still." He murmured, and she smiled. He had just returned…and here she was falling for him harder than she had ever fallen for Sasuke.

'_This is the real thing. I know we're meant to be together. To get married, to have kids, and to grow old together…I know it'll happen.'_ She thought.

Naruto, raising his eyebrows in surprise, smiled. "Me too, Sakura-chan. I've known it since I met you." He said, and Sakura blushed furiously as she realized she had spoken her thought aloud.

"Um…" was all she could say. _'So I guess this means I won't ruin things if I rush it…' _The thought crossed her mind, and left her lips, before she could stop it.

Naruto laughed, and Sakura realized that she had said yet another thought aloud. That was embarrassing. "No…Sakura-chan. No matter what…you can't ruin this. Even if you rush it. I promise" He said.

Her blush got deeper, almost as red as Hinata's could, and he grinned at her. "Do you still want to go to your apartment?" He asked.

She nodded, and together they walked towards her apartment. She was lightheaded and giddy as she realized what was happening. They were definitely meant to be together. She could tell…and now she had basically received a promise that said they would be together. Forever.

She guided them to her apartment, which was on the first floor of her complex, and let him in. It was clean, very feminine, and it was definitely Sakura. It had pink curtains drawn over the windows, a soft red carpet, a clean and sparkling kitchen…and a living room with a soft green velvet couch and green velvet armchair. She had a television on a cherry wood television center squared with the couch. First came the kitchen as you walked in the apartment, then came the living room right past that, which was hidden slightly by a half-wall, and to the right of the living room and before the couch and chair was the door that connected to her bedroom.

She didn't know quite what she was doing but she shut the door behind them, still holding Naruto's hand tightly, and led him to her bedroom door. With her free right hand, she grasped the golden knob tightly…and wondered if she was actually awake and if this was a dream. She decided she didn't care, and opened the door. Naruto's eyes widened as he saw the large white bed and clean room. It was decorated with photos on the walls, and a calendar and vases and lamps…but it wasn't cluttered. There was a wide window on the far left wall, and on the right wall no more than five feet from where they were standing was the door to the bathroom and then ten more feet from the door to the bathroom was a mirror-door closet. Overall…it was quite homey and relaxing…and Sakura kicked off her shoes and took off her socks. Naruto took the hint, and removed his shoes and socks.

She led him to her bed, where she sat down. She let go of his hand and crawled further onto the bed, where she lay down on her back. The wide window to their left was covered by a pink curtain, which thanks to the sunlight coming through it, cast the room in a pink glow. With the glow from the curtains and sun…Sakura looked heavenly. Naruto felt his heart beat faster, and he felt his blood pound through his veins.

He slowly crawled onto the bed, laying next to Sakura, his back facing the covered window. They faced each other, and their eyes met. They joined together, their bodies fitting perfectly together. Their bodies completed each other, even fully clothed, and Sakura took it as yet another sign that they were bound to be together for eternity. Forever.

Sakura closed her eyes and leaned in for a kiss…and Naruto didn't disappoint. Their lips met, and for the first time in two and a half years…Sakura couldn't care less what was happening in the rest of the world. She couldn't care less about Sasuke…as long as she had Naruto with her. _Her_ Naruto.

She grabbed his hand, and his eyes held a question. She simply held his hand, and then guided it to her hip. The light pressure of his hand on her hip was just right…and Sakura was surprised when they continued to kiss. His hand didn't wander, but it stayed respectfully on its designated place. She smiled through their kisses, and murmured, "You're perfect."

Sakura and Naruto had gotten up after an hour and a half, and Naruto had left to go get ready for the party. Naruto was surprised by how long they had just lain in each other's arms. It was a wonderful, silent time. As he was dressing for the party, he couldn't help but grin as he thought of how Sakura had told him he was perfect. He knew he wasn't perfect…not by a long shot. But still…it was nice to know she thought he was.

Naruto had decided to do something radically different…and dress nicely. He had a couple new sets of clothing with him, and the one he was putting on was for nice occasions. The clothing he was putting on was a plain white tee shirt underneath a white long-sleeved dress-shirt. He rolled the sleeves up to his elbows, and put on a black tie. He then put on his soft, and fairly expensive, black dress pants. He put on black dress socks and wore shiny new black dress shoes…and finished his look with a plan black belt around his waist. Then…he decided the tie was overkill. He took of the tie, unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt…and nodded. He looked nicely dressed, but casually so. Perfect.

Naruto then dabbed on a cologne, the scent was labeled Blue Seduction (A/N: if you haven't heard of it, it's from Antonio Banderas and it's phenomenal.), and looked at himself in the mirror in the bathroom. Something seemed…off.

Then it struck Naruto. "Oops. I don't think I should wear this…" Naruto laughed, and removed his black headband. His unruly blond hair fell partially over his eyes, and he grinned as he quickly brushed it so it was mostly out of his eyes. It still looked slightly messy…but that was to be expected with his hair.

Naruto grabbed his apartment keys off the counter, then his black leather wallet, and then left the bathroom. As he walked to the front door…he considered grabbing a kunai just in case there were problems between him and the villagers. But, then he decided not too. He shrugged it off, and walked out the front door, locking it behind him.

The lowering sun cast everything in a peaceful orange glow…and he smiled every time he passed a window. He became lost in thought as his feet carried him to his destination…and he thought of what Sakura would be wearing. Within ten minutes, he had arrived at Yakoniku Barbeque. It was fifteen minutes before the party.

Naruto glanced around, and then stepped into the Restaurant. He walked over to the Paying Counter and spoke to the pretty young cashier. She had long black hair tied back in a ponytail, and she had bright blue eyes and pale skin that completely contrasted with her black hair. "Hello. Um, I'm Naruto Uzumaki." He said, and the girl smiled as she looked at the schedule next to the cashier.

"Oh, yes. The party room is the door to my right, your left, and it is large enough for the number that you presented us. The, banquet that you pre-ordered is being set up as we speak…and the price is here." She said, presenting Naruto a small slip of paper. Naruto's eyes widened at the price…but lucky for him he had stored money underneath a loose plank in his bedroom. It was a large home savings account of sorts…and it covered this price easily.

Naruto dug the money out of his wallet, handed it to the girl, and smiled. "Well, sir, I hope you enjoy your party. Will the other members of the party be arriving soon?" She asked, and Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. They should be here any time." He replied, and the girl motioned to the party room door. Naruto bowed slightly, and then walked to the door. As soon as he opened the door, he was in awe of the room.

Yakoniku Barbeque didn't really look big…but the Party room was big enough to host a large business conference with room to spare. It was…impressive. There were several large tables lined up with the far wall ahead of him, and the small walls to his right and left. Round tables were set up around the room, far enough apart to navigate through them without turning sideways at all.

Naruto whistled, dug his hands in his pockets, and walked further in the room. The tables along the walls were laden with all the available foods that Yakoniku specialized in, and Naruto grinned. He ordered this…because he knew Choji would polish off at least half of the food.

He stopped walking, and turned around as he heard the door open behind him. He smiled as soon as he saw who it was. It was Sakura, wearing a black knee-length skirt and pink spaghetti strap top…and she had a small pair of golden hoop earrings. Her pink hair was tied back with a black ribbon, and Naruto couldn't help but smile as he realized she was wearing a pair of black high-heels.

Sakura smiled, blushing slightly, and Naruto walked over to her. "Naruto? What's with all this?" She asked, and Naruto grinned.

"Oh, I figured why not go all out tonight…and so I did." He said, and she raised her eyebrows.

"That is _a lot_ of food." She commented, and Naruto shrugged.

"Choji won't have a problem polishing at least half of it off." Naruto replied, and stopped an inch away from her. With her high heels, they were eye-level, him not having to look down at her. He leaned forward and gave her a quick peck on the lips, and she smiled.

"So…you dressed up rather nice. And…it's strange seeing you without your headband on." She said, and Naruto laughed.

"Yeah. It's usually stuck to me like glue, isn't it? I figured I should surprise everyone by dressing up a bit." He said, shrugging.

"Well…you look great, Naruto." She complimented, and she was surprised as he took her into his arms in a hug. He nuzzled her neck and spoke softly, "Thanks. If it's possible…you look even more beautiful than ever." His warm breath caressed the curve of her neck, sending a shiver down her spine.

He was about to pull away, but she whispered giddily, "Do that again."

He gave her a foxy grin and whispered, "What? This? Or just the compliment?" His breath was warm against her skin, and while it wasn't cold in the room…it was definitely a lot colder than the warmth of his breath. The shiver was sent down her spine again, and she held him tighter against her. She took his head in her hands, and moved it from her neck and held it in front of her gently. She pressed her lips hard against his, passion roaring through her body. It was so unlike her to get so caught up like this…but if she had to designate a reason, it was _his _fault for doing this to her.

Naruto's right hand wandered to her lower back, where it stopped, and his left hand went up to her hair, where it played gently with the locks of her pink hair. She did the same to him with her left hand, playing with his unruly locks of golden hair…and her right hand was pressed against his back, holding them together. She didn't know what she was doing…but this moment was too good too pass up.

She was surprised even more by what Naruto did next. He went with his instincts, and his tongue probed the outsides of her lush lips, and Sakura went with her instincts in the same way. She opened her mouth slightly, permitting his tongue entrance. His tongue entered her mouth, and she had to admit that it wasn't bad like she had thought. It was quite…enjoyable. His tongue traced the inside of her lips, and then she hesitantly extended her tongue and met his.

Their tongues gently caressed, and then the tempo of their kisses increased. Ever the medic Ninja…Sakura knew both of their bodies were pumping out pheromones and they were responding quite eagerly. She pushed him gently over to one of the tables, and when he was leaning up against it enough, she raised her right leg up and intertwined it with his leg. His hand moved up from the small of her back, and began to caress the soft pale skin of her arms and shoulders…and Sakura shivered in ecstasy.

Suddenly, the door to the party room opened, and a large group of people suddenly stopped their laughing and conversing as they caught the sight in front of them. Sakura and Naruto broke from their frenzy of kissing, and glanced over at the doorway, and quickly broke apart. Standing with their mouths open and eyebrows raised were Shikimaru, Temari, Tsunade, Shizune, Jiraiya, Ino, Asuma and Kurenai. Kakashi walked up from behind the group, grinned behind his mask, and gave the two a thumbs up. Then he went back to his Make-out Tactics book.

Naruto and Sakura blushed furiously, and Tsunade threw her hands in the air. "FINALLY!" Tsunade yelled to the heavens, and laughed. Everyone looked at her with surprise, and Tsunade turned to Shizune.

"You owe me 2,000 Ryo! I told you they'd get together…and I was right on the fact that they would be doing _that_ soon!" Tsunade crowed, holding out her hand to Shizune. Shizune forked over the money, and Tsunade triumphantly walked into the room. The rest of the stunned guests entered as well.

Everyone was dressed in their usual garb, and Ino walked up to Naruto. "Naruto? No way…Sakura said you had grown up into a stud, but she didn't say you looked so darn delicious." She teased, tracing her finger across his chest. Sakura gave Ino an evil look, and Ino laughed. "Relax…I'm not going to try to steal this one from you. I've got someone."

Sakura, who instantly knew who it was, grinned evilly. No one had been able to piece together who Ino was with…except Sakura. "Oh look! There's Ino's boyfriend! Hey, CHOJI!" Sakura yelled out, pointing at the newcomer.

Choji, larger…and an exact miniature of his daddy, blushed furiously as all the attention was turned to him. "Uh…hi, guys?" He said…and Ino blushed so furiously, everyone knew it was true.

"So that's who it is?" Naruto asked, and walked over to Choji.

"Dude…you look like your dad." Naruto said as he stopped a foot or so away from Choji.

"Naruto? You…you definitely grew up." Choji complimented back, and Naruto slapped his pal on the shoulder.

"I really hoped you would make it…because there's a lot of food." Naruto said, gesturing to the food-laden tables.

Choji's eyes grew big, and drool started to drip from the corner of his mouth. "No…freakin'…WAY!" Choji yelled, and immediately rushed to the tables.

"Hey! You have to wait for everyone to get here, silly!" Ino yelled, running after her boyfriend.

Choji wailed, and everyone laughed. The tension was broken, and Asuma and Kurenai walked over to Naruto. "So…you've grown up quite a bit, Naruto." Asuma complimented. Kurenai nodded, and Naruto grinned.

"Thanks…it doesn't look like you guys have gotten any older. If possible…Kurenai-sensei looks even younger." Naruto complimented. They both knew he was just buttering her up…but Kurenai couldn't help but enjoy it a little.

Asuma laughed heartily and Kakashi popped up out of nowhere. "Yo! Naruto, Jiraiya needs to talk to you."

Naruto excused himself from the two Jonin, and walked over to his instructor. Jiraiya was over at a table, sitting away from the others. He had a serious look on his face…and Naruto couldn't help but wonder what was eating at his teacher.

"Oi…Jiraiya-sensei? What's the matter?" Naruto asked, pulling up a chair.

Jiraiya looked at the boy…and held out his hand. Naruto looked at the hand questioningly, and Jiraiya explained. "I didn't get to congratulate you too formally last night. You did great, brat. And, you've actually grown up in the past few years. Later tonight…I have to tell you something. It's important."

Naruto nodded, and Jiraiya smiled. "Good. Now…here comes the rest of the people!"

Leading a large crowd into the room, was Might Guy and Rock Lee. They both were wearing business suits, with solid green silk ties. They matched perfectly, and Naruto tried his best not to bust out laughing. "Konoha's Noble Blue Savage is here!" Guy yelled out.

Rock Lee, not to be outdone by his sensei, yelled as well, "As is Konoha's Handsome Devil!"

Everyone raised an eyebrow, but welcomed the duo. Behind them filed in Kiba, Shino, and a very grown up Hinata. Kiba had Akamaru transformed into his smaller form…since Akamaru had grown up quite a bit. Hinata, linked arm in arm with Kiba, blushed when she saw Naruto. Naruto walked over to them, surprised.

"Hey…Hinata?" Naruto asked, and the girl nodded. Her indigo hair had grown long, down to her lower back, and instead of a plain white hoody jacket, she wore a hoody with an indigo top (similar design to Naruto's jumpsuit.)

Kiba grinned. "Hey, Naruto! You're looking great!" He exclaimed, and Naruto grinned at his friend. He no longer wore a hoody, but instead a brown silk 'gi' type of uniform.

"Thanks…you too, Kiba." Naruto said, grinning. Akamaru barked once, and Naruto bent down to the cute little dog. "It's nice to see you, too, Akamaru."

Kiba laughed, and Naruto straightened up and looked at Hinata. "You've grown up, too, Hinata. You look very pretty." Naruto complimented.

Hinata turned red, blushing just like in the old days, and Naruto grinned. He turned his attention to the third member of their party. He wore a black shroud over his head that went down to his eyes, wore a black high-collar jacket that obscured the lower half of his face, and he wore dark circle sunglasses that kept anyone from seeing his eyes. His dark black shorts ended at the knees, and his legs were wrapped in bandages. The dark figure was silent, and Naruto couldn't figure out who it was.

"Uh…who's your guys' friend?" Naruto asked politely, and Kiba laughed loudly.

"You know…you should remember your friends. That way, it's less embarrassing when they meet you again so many years later." The mysterious figure said softly.

The voice clicked in Naruto's head, and Naruto looked closely. All he could see of the figure's face was the small strip around the eyes and sunglasses. Naruto jabbed his fist in the air triumphantly. "AHA! You're Shino!" He exclaimed, and Shino nodded.

"You really shouldn't cover up so much…it makes it harder for me to recognize you." Naruto scolded, wagging a finger at Shino. Shino shrugged. "Welcome back, Naruto." He replied softly. Then, he walked on past Naruto.

Tenten was next, wearing a one-sleeved pink top. Her right arm was sleeved, and her left arm was bare. She had her hair in her traditional 2-bun hairstyle, and Naruto grinned. With her hair like that, he had always thought she looked like a teddy bear. She wore loose black pants, and her kunai holster was attached to her right thigh. Naruto's grin faltered. Maybe a teddy bear who was dangerously proficient with weapons.

"Tenten! Nice to see you!" Naruto exclaimed. She smiled at him and extended her hand so they could shake. He shook her hand.

"It's great to see you again, Naruto. You were gone for so long." Tenten said. Naruto nodded, and he heard Shino's soft voice murmur sadly from behind him.

"He recognized _her_ fast." The soft voiced ninja said, shaking his head sadly.

Naruto ignored him, and turned his attention to Neji. His hair was still pulled back, but it was longer, and his face didn't seem as cruel as it used to. He looked…peaceful. Naruto smiled at his friend, and Neji actually smiled back. He wore a white long-sleeved shirt, with wide sleeves, and wore a white belt and white pants. "Naruto…it's been too long." Neji said, bowing.

Naruto bowed back respectfully, and then when they straightened…wrapped Neji in a big hug. Neji was shocked at first, but laughed and embraced his friend. Naruto felt a link to Neji, similar to his link with Gaara. Neji was a genius, a strong fighter, but he had a past filled with pain similar to Naruto and Gaara. Though Gaara outweighed both of theirs considerably.

"Darn right it's been too long! You know…I wonder which of us is stronger, now that we're both older?" Naruto murmured playfully. Neji grinned, his pale pupil-less eyes shining with the delight of a possible challenge.

"We'll find out soon enough, Naruto." Neji promised, and moved out of the way so Naruto could greet the rest of his friends.

Teuchi and Ayami were next. Teuchi was wearing a business suit, with a black bow tie and a black fedora. Naruto raised an eyebrow. He had never though Teuchi would dress up like that. Ayami was wearing a black spaghetti strap dress that extended to her knees, and she wore black stockings and black high heels. The dress had a white ribbon tied around the waist, and Naruto was reminded of Sakura's pajama's. He pushed the thought away and shook both of their hands. "Welcome, guys! Thanks for coming." Naruto said, and Ayami and Teuchi thanked him for inviting them. They moved on, and Naruto looked for the next person. As he saw them…he burst out laughing, drawing the attention of everyone.

Iruka Umino, dressed in a fluffly white bunny suit, hopped up to Naruto. He did a modeling pose, and asked, "So…what do you think, Naruto?"

Naruto fell to the ground, tears streaming down his face. Iruka laughed along, and took off the bunny suit. Others were laughing too, as they realized it was the academy instructor. "Hahaha. I thought you'd appreciate it, Naruto." Iruka laughed out, and Naruto staggered to his feet.

"Hahaha! Hilarious, Iruka-sensei! I didn't think you'd actually go that far." Naruto laughed, and everyone finished their bouts of laughing as Iruka set his bunny-suit in the corner of the room. He wore his traditional wear, and he noted Naruto's formally casual wear.

"You look nice, Naruto. Very, very nice." Iruka complimented.

Naruto grinned. "Thanks, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka grinned and moved in the room. Naruto did a quick head-count, and found everyone was there.

"Okay then! Everyone, can I have your attention please?" Naruto called out, and the small murmur of conversation stopped. Every head turned to him, and all eyes were on him.

"I would like to thank everyone who helped me out, first off. Sakura, Shikimaru, Temari, Might Guy, and Rock Lee. Thanks for helping me out, guys." Naruto said loudly, and Naruto locked gazes with each person as he acknowledged them. He continued. "I would also like to thank each and every one of you for showing up so short notice. I realize that it may have been an inconvenience and interfered with some of your schedules, and I apologize if I messed anything up. It means a lot to me that you all would show up. So, with all that out of the way…let's eat!" Naruto yelled, and Choji gave a whoop of triumph.

Everyone laughed and made their way to the tables, and Naruto was about to join them when a shiver went down his spine. His head snapped to the side, glancing to the southwest, and he felt a shiver of anger run down his spine. He felt his muscles tense up, and his lip curled in instinctive reaction to a sense of anger. Sweat formed on his forehead, and he knew that his eyes had momentarily shifted from blue to red. Every time it happened, his vision flickered slightly, and it just had. He calmed himself, forcing himself to take slow and deep breaths. He felt a hand on each of his shoulders, and he glanced to each side. Jiraiya and Sakura both were at his sides, Jiraiya to his left and Sakura to his right. They knew something was up…but Naruto knew he shouldn't worry them. After all…this was a party.

"It's nothing guys. Come on…let's party." Naruto said, putting up a fake smile.

They both knew it was fake…but both knew that they wouldn't get anything out of him until he was ready to tell. They accompanied him to the food tables, and they all got back into the party.

------------------------------------

Kankuro had sweat dripping down his face, and it stung as it entered his eyes. But, he didn't stop running even to wipe his eyes. He was almost there. Almost. Gaara wasn't that far ahead.

(_Flashback_)

_Kankuro reached the entrance to Suna, the long tunnel-like entrance between two cliffs. Kankuro stopped as soon as he realized that four ANBU were there with him. They were obviously the fastest who could get here. It wasn't much…but Kankuro knew that even four ANBU should be enough._

_Kankuro nodded to them, and the five of them ran down the passage. The froze when they reached the middle. They all let out cries of disbelief as they saw that the entire Gate Guard had been slaughtered. Over thirty men slain, and it looked like they hadn't stood a chance. They walked, hands over their mouths, and did their best to not throw up._

_One of the ANBU stopped as he saw movement from one of the men. "Hey…one's alive!" The ANBU yelled, and bent down to assist the man._

_Kankuro knew it was a trap even as he spotted the movement. "NO! DON'T-!" Kankuro yelled, but it was too late._

_As soon as the ANBU touched the man…the man exploded. Two ANBU were killed instantly. Explosive tags, set off by the first one, were set off around them. Kankuro grabbed his scroll as the orange flame licked at him and the remaining two ANBU, and he knew that within moments…they would be buried alive by rocks and rubble._

_Kankuro unrolled his scroll, and as a puff of smoke erupted from the scroll, grabbed the two ANBU. He held them close as rocks rained down around them._

(_End Flashback_)

Kankuro had managed to save the two ANBU, but they had been knocked unconscious by falling debris. He had left the two ANBU on one side of the rubble, the side where Baki would find them easily, and continued on his journey. When he had reached the exit of his route, he found that the tracks of the enemy…were split. There were three sets of tracks, all identical, that split off in different directions. Had Kankuro not seen the small crust of sand that had fallen off of Gaara's sand armor, that was continually cracking and breaking now that he had not Chakra to hold it together, Kankuro wouldn't have known which path to take.

Kankuro was now following the correct trail, and framed against the red horizon…he could see three shapes. One small hunchbacked shape, one tall shape, and the third was a large bird that hovered close to the tall shape. Kankuro growled. He would have to wait until day…but he would catch the Akatsuki…and then he would take Gaara back.

'_Hold on Gaara! I'm coming._' Kankuro thought…and continued to run.

The end of the chapter! YAAY! Tell me what you thought of it! The next chapter is the rest of the party, what Jiraiya had to tell Naruto…and if you're lucky the fight between Kankuro and the Akatsuki!

Thanks!


	6. Chapter 6

Lost in the Green Seas

Okay, due to a reader who helped me see that last chapter was a bit too unrealistic…this is the revised version. Please let me know which one you like better. Review, and then Majority will rule. I will say at the beginning of chapter 7, so I can continue the storyline with either chapter. The end date of voting however is March 10th. Just because I like that date. :D

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto. Such a pity, huh? If I did…this story would come true.

CHAPTER 6: The Party [part 2

Naruto stood in a corner, making sure he wasn't easily seen, and observed all his friends. He wanted to be apart of them…but he just couldn't get over how marvelous it was to see all his friends. Neji, Hinata, Kiba, Lee, and even Shikimaru. He had history with these people…and he had been separated from them for so long. But now…he was among them once more. Only a few out of these numbers knew his secret. Sakura, Shikimaru, Temari, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Iruka, Kakashi, Shizune, Asuma, Kurenai, Teuchi and Ayami, and Might Guy. They were all his friends…but he was still afraid. He was shivering slightly. He had planned tonight, to tell _all _of his friends. But…he was facing stage fright.

He shrank into the corner, as his fears assaulted him. Fear of Rejection…fear of having his friends no longer love him. Fear assaulted him, battering his heart and will. But then…something even worse than Fear assaulted him.

'**Hmm. Well, Brat…I guess I'm stuck with you for even longer. And to think…I was so close to getting out. You can't blame me for trying, though. I've been trapped in you for fifteen years. Even you would have gone insane by now.' **Said the Kyuubi, his deep voice echoing in Naruto's mind.

'_WHAT? H-How can you speak to me? I'm not in front of the cage! What's going on?_' Naruto mentally asked, freaking out. His heart rate increased, and sweat beaded his brow.

'**It was the near-death experience that did this. The Seal is still strong…you don't have to worry about it. I'm no closer to getting out than I was when the Yondaime imprisoned me.**' The Kyuubi reassured Naruto.

'_W-w-what do you want?_' Naruto thought, calming himself.

'**Nothing, really. I was just finishing testing the seal…to see if it **_**had**_** weakened. It hadn't…so I figured why not try to talk to you. Being cooped up by myself can be boring when I have no one to talk to. Plus…your thoughts are amusing me.**' The Kyuubi chuckled.

'_I'm only going to ask once more. What the hell do you want?_' Naruto asked, anger replacing fear.

'**My…aren't we touchy? What I want…believe it or not…is to reassure you. If they're any kind of decent people, when you tell them…they'll look at you no differently. But, I'm more than sure these people wouldn't look at you any differently. Now…quit sniveling and tell them.**' The Kyuubi ordered, his deep voice ringing with authority.

'_No. I think I'll get some fresh air. To clear my head._' Naruto thought, his rebellious side kicking in instinctively against the Kyuubi's order.

'**Don't disobey me! I'm the Kyuubi! I am the most powerful-**" Naruto cut off his demon, just imagining hitting the 'mute' button on a remote. To his surprise, and the Kyuubi's, Naruto was relieved of the Kyuubi's rant.

Naruto quickly checked to make sure that no one was watching, and then exited the party room. He walked past the Cashier Counter, and walked out the front door. A wall of crisp, slightly chilly air slammed into his body. He enjoyed the chill, and breathed out a sigh of relief.

He walked to the left, not knowing exactly where his feet were carrying him, and quickly sank into thought. It was more like a state of careful contemplation…thinking on his choices. And then thinking on consequences of his choices, should he take action on one of the choices.

The moon was waning now, no longer a Full Moon, but not quite a half moon. The cold rays of the moon revealed him, a lone figure on the streets. He had his hands in his pockets…and he finally stopped. His feet no longer moved, and his body was frozen, unlike his mind. His mind was racing, faster than he thought was possible. He was cross-examining everything he thought could happen…and he stayed still for a good twenty minutes.

He became aware of several things at once as he was snapped out of his thoughts. One was that he was no longer alone on the streets. Two, the people now occupying the streets had him ringed in. Three…was that he was angry at his mental conclusion. Everything he thought of was dampened by his fears. He couldn't think clearly…and he obviously needed some outside help with his thoughts.

He glanced around at the people who ringed him in. They were silent, and the want to kill radiated off the people like a physical wave. Naruto sighed. He was getting tired of this. This was only his second day home…and he was already on his second mob. He wasn't going to just take it this time. If he did that, they would put him on the edge of death and allow the Kyuubi control. He wouldn't allow the demon that victory. But, he also wouldn't seriously hurt these people.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked tiredly, his voice echoing off the darkened houses around him. The people, revealed by the moonlight as simple civilians armed with an assortment of swords, knives, and other sharp weapons.

"To finally kill you. You bounced back last time…but this time we'll get rid of you." Replied a shrill and angry female voice.

"If you do try that…you'll unleash the demon. I can't have that, so I'm going to fight you back." Naruto warned. The people shifted, not convinced. He didn't care. He didn't think it would convince them. He was just warning them.

Naruto turned off his 'mental mute button', and the Kyuubi was muttering to himself.

'_Hey, fox_.' Naruto said simply.

'**Ahh. Finally. So, what do you want?**' The fox grumpily replied.

'_I'm going to draw on your power. Just a Chakra Shell._' Naruto thought.

'**Hm. Going for a scare tactic. Fine. Do what you want, brat.**' The Kyuubi muttered.

Naruto felt his vision shift, and he knew his eyes had changed color. He felt his muscles tense as power flooded through his body, and he felt his body change. His teeth and nails grew longer, and his hair grew shaggier and more unruly and spiked. Then, Naruto hunched over slightly as he felt his Chakra boil over, and then form a visible red glow. It started at his feet, and then boiled over his entire body, casting a red form around his body that resembled a fox with one tail. Naruto felt his heart beat faster as the Fox's Chakra sent surge after surge of power through his body. Naruto glared at the villagers around him, and the Villagers gasped at the sight before them.

"This is your last warning. Leave me alone, or prepare to get hurt!" Naruto rasped out, his vocal cords changing. His voice was feral, guttural, and raspy.

The Villagers didn't waver. In fact, it seemed to embolden them. They must have thought that the demon was really coming out, so now they could kill him once and for all. Naruto sighed mentally. His plan had backfired. So much for a scare tactic.

The red chakra boiled and bubbled around him, and he bared his fangs as he got down on all fours. He could feel the Chakra shell mimic his form, his chakra formed ears and tail waving in a non-existent breeze.

"Demon! Now you're all ours!" Yelled a man from behind him.

"Naruto!" Screamed a female voice, also from behind him. Naruto whipped his head to look over his shoulder, and saw Sakura. She was running straight for the crowd. He heard fear, anger, and despair in her voice. If she got in range of the villagers, they wouldn't hesitate to kill her.

Naruto acted as fast as he could. He pulled more power from the Kyuubi, flooding his body. He knew Jiraiya would feel the surge as his second tail burst into existence. Power coursed through his body, flooding every sense. He burst into action, blurring past the ring of people and stopping in front of Sakura. She froze, tears streaming down her face.

"Sakura…go back! You'll get hurt!" Naruto rasped, and Sakura flinched.

"Naruto?" She asked…trembling.

"I'm in control right now, Sakura. They'll hurt you! Go!" Naruto growled, glancing back at the crowd. They were moving towards him carefully, weapons extended.

"No! I left you once, and they nearly killed you!" Sakura yelled, and Naruto sighed.

"I didn't fight back! But now, I'm going to defend myself. I won't hurt them…too badly." Naruto said, and stood. It hurt to stand straight, because he was more like an animal now…but he had to look into her eyes.

She could see the intelligence and control, even behind the powerful red eyes, and she new Naruto was definitely still Naruto. Still, it didn't matter. "No. I'm staying!" She said, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Naruto!" Yelled a voice from down the street. Naruto recognized Jiraiya immediately as he ran towards them.

Naruto spun as he sensed the intent to attack, and gripped the sword that had been swung at him. The blade melted in his hand, as the red chakra super-heated it. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" Naruto screamed, blasting a chakra and air wave at the people. They stumbled backwards, but didn't drop their weapons.

Jiraiya was at his side, as was Neji. Neji had his Byakugan activated, and he was in the Gentle Fist fighting stance. Jiraiya was talking…but Naruto wasn't paying attention. He couldn't help it. Going into his tailed state was a mistake. His control over this state was limited, and very easy to lose. He was losing it.

Sakura was on his left, and Neji to her left, and Jiraiya was to his right. "Naruto! You have to stop." Jiraiya ordered.

"No! NO!" Naruto roared, and went down on all fours. "_THEY _wanted this!" He screamed, and all three of his friends flinched at the sound of his feral voice.

The people were hesitant now. Three Ninja, 1 demon…and a whole crowd of them. But…one of the ninja was a Hyuga with the famous Byakugan that could see everything. They got over their hesitation quickly. They roared their challenge at the four people.

"BRING IT, DEMON! WE'LL KILL YOU!" Screamed the crowd.

Then, everything was silent. The tension was so thick, it was stifling. "Naruto! STOP!" Neji ordered fiercely.

"Naruto…I'm warning you. Stop, or I'll have to stop you myself." Jiraiya said sternly.

"Naruto…please, stop." Sakura said, tears rising once more to her eyes.

Naruto glanced up at his three friends, feeling betrayed. Now that Sakura and Neji could see him clearly…this was their reaction? This was their love for him? He was betrayed. He was only going to defend himself! He…he just wanted to be left alone! He was TIRED of the beatings, the bleeding…he was TIRED OF THE REJECTION!

'**So…'just a scare tactic'?**' The Kyuubi chuckled. '**It looks like you're ready for more than that. Do you want **_**more**_' The Kyuubi asked.

Naruto was silent and still, and he hadn't moved from his position on all fours. "More?" He rasped.

Jiraiya seemed to know what was taking place. "Naruto! NO!" He yelled, right as Naruto gave a feral grin. The Villagers quaked slightly as they saw the smile.

"Yes. More." Naruto rasped. He felt the power…and he wanted more. It felt so good.

The Kyuubi laughed triumphantly. '**GOOD! HAHAHA! Here's your power, Kit!**'

With an explosion of power, a third tail erupted from Naruto's chakra shell. The explosion of malice and anger caused Jiraiya, Sakura, and Neji to stumble backwards. They ducked behind the three chakra tails that waved behind Naruto, and Neji's Byakugan eyes widened in shock. He could see the fiery red chakra, literally burning Naruto's Chakra System. It was expanding his Inner Coils, forcing more power through Naruto's body…more power than anyone he had ever seen.

Heat radiated from the chakra, and Jiraiya cursed. Naruto had gone three-tailed once…and then he had lost control and gone four-tailed. At the three and four-tailed state…he was more powerful than anything Jiraiya had come across. Even more powerful than Orochimaru, when the two Sannin had battled.

Naruto sprang into action, causing the ground to quake and shatter beneath him as he sped towards the crowd. "NARUTO!" Sakura screamed, as she watched him seem to disappear from next to her and appear in the next second in the middle of the crowd.

The Villagers screamed in fear, and Naruto lashed out with only one arm. Every villager that surrounded him went flying, screaming in pain as the Chakra burned their skin. In one swipe, forty villagers were knocked unconscious. Naruto looked bored as he scanned the moaning pests, and then looked over his shoulder.

Jiraiya had a Rasengan formed in his hand, and he was rushing Naruto. Naruto simply raised his hand, and his chakra claw shot forward. Jiraiya slammed his Rasengan forward into the chakra arm, and Naruto's eyes widened in shock as the power of the Rasengan caused his Chakra shell to surge. It didn't fade or even grow a mite weaker. Instead, it grew even more powerful. The last shred of control Naruto had, slipped from his grasp as easy as a hurricane would strip a feather from a child's hand.

Naruto blacked out.

--------------------------------------

Jiraiya had been alerted of something being wrong by the sudden surge of Chakra he had felt from outside the restaurant, and the fact that both Neji and Sakura were missing. Then…he realized Naruto was gone as well.

Jiraiya slowly walked up to Tsunade, not drawing attention to himself, and then murmured in her ear. "Tsunade…Naruto's gone into his tailed states. I'm going. Keep everyone occupied."

Tsunade's eyes widened, but she continued. Jiraiya exited the restaurant nonchalantly, but as soon as he was out the doors, he ran. He knew Kakashi would sense the power…as well as the other Jonin, and possibly Hinata seeing as she was a Hyuga. But, he had to get there first and shut Naruto down. Naruto wouldn't go into his tailed state unless he was threatened with something dangerous.

Now, Jiraiya watched as his Rasengan was eaten and absorbed by the Chakra arm, and he saw the small amount of Naruto's intelligence disappear from the red eyes. The Claw retracted back to Naruto, who remained crouching on all fours.

"Neji…Sakura…run." Jiraiya said softly. Naruto was dangerous to them all now. He had succumbed to the power and had lost himself. All thanks to Jiraiya's damn Rasengan. He had hoped it would stop the Chakra enough to cause Naruto to pause so he could slap a seal on Naruto's forehead and cut off the Kyuubi Chakra.

"Get the other Jonin. Now." Jiraiya said, and as Sakura and Neji bolted…Naruto snapped his attention to them. His blood-red eyes glared, and killer intent flew from him like a bolt of lightning. The ferociousness of the intent paralyzed both of the fleeing Shinobi with fear. Neither had experienced something so frightening.

Suddenly, Kakashi appeared at Jiraiya's right side. Asuma and Kurenai landed next to Neji and Sakura…and Might Guy appeared on Jiraiya's left side. All the Jonin took in the sight and knew what happened. Villagers lying on the ground, and Naruto surrounded by a Chakra shell said it all.

"What do we do?" Might Guy asked Jiraiya. Jiraiya reached into his pouch and withdrew a large number of paper seals.

"Put one of these on him, Guy. He's fast. Be careful. You have to go as fast as possible. His Chakra burns when you touch it…so speed is essential. Slap one…only one…on him." Jiraiya said, never taking his eyes from Naruto.

"Distract him!" Jiraiya barked, and he formed another Rasengan. The swirling light drew Naruto's attention, and Kakashi formed his Lightning Blade. The two jumped apart, causing Naruto to become momentarily confused. He wasn't sure why the two with the bright lights in their hands weren't attacking.

His eyes were drawn to the sides, and not the middle where Might Guy had rocketed forward. Might Guy rushed so fast, not even Naruto could stop him. As soon as the white paper seal touched the Chakra, a hole opened to Naruto's body. And as soon as the paper touched Naruto's body…Naruto collapsed. With a hissing sound, all the red chakra simply disappeared.

"Naruto." Jiraiya murmured softly, disappointment thick in his voice. Kurenai was trying to console the weeping Sakura, and Neji was staring dumbfounded at Naruto's collapsed form. Kakashi was at Naruto's side, hoisting the unconscious blond into his arms…just as he had when he found the boy wounded at the Valley of the End.

They all gathered, except Sakura and Kurenai, around Kakashi and Naruto. The Villagers were unconscious…and Kakashi glared at them with his one revealed eye. "They forced him to do this?" He asked.

"I don't know. It seems so. Forty civilians…all armed. Only with his Shadow Clones could he have hoped to defend against all of them. He does not have any real special abilities like the Sharingan or Byakugan, allowing him to track his opponents…so he would have been overwhelmed. It's no wonder he went to his tailed state." Jiraiya murmured.

"What…what was that? I have seen that Chakra before…all those years ago at the Chunin exams. I couldn't figure out what it was then…and I don't know what it is now. What is he?" Neji asked. The words Naruto spoke to him at the Chunin exam slammed him suddenly.

(_Flashback_)

_Neji, filled with anger, spoke bitterly. "Someone like you would never understand the pain…and the inescapable brand of fate! How could you understand trying to escape in inescapable fate?"_

_Naruto looked down at the ground…utter sadness expressed. Then he looked up at Neji. "I do understand…I do. You're not the only 'special' person." He said._

(_End Flashback_)

That, coupled with the red chakra he had seen…and this chakra shell around Naruto that resembled a three-tailed fox…Neji gasped. Jiraiya glanced at the Jonin, and held a finger to his lips. Neji nodded, wonder and amazement…and understanding written on his face. He wasn't a genius for nothing.

Kakashi strode down the street, towards Sakura. Naruto's whisker-marks were slowly fading back to normal, as was his hair, nails and teeth. His breathing was labored, however, and Neji grimaced. Having Inner Coils expanded so forcefully…could cause massive inner damage. However, if his assumption was correct…The source of Naruto's fast healing would take care of it.

Asuma, Might Guy, Jiraiya, and Neji followed Kakashi as he stood next to Kurenai and Sakura. "Sakura." Kakashi spoke softly.

"H-he…he promised he wouldn't do that again." She sobbed. Kakashi understood.

"Sakura…you know as well as I do that it wasn't his fault." Kakashi chided gently.

"He could have stopped! He could have listened!" She yelled, anger coursing through her veins.

Jiraiya was analyzing all he heard…all he saw, and he sighed. "You're right. He could have. But…Sakura. Forty Villagers against two Ninja…I keep thinking of why he would do that, and I can't think of anything else other than when he saw you he was trying to protect you. He had to call on more power to protect you…and that power that courses through him is addictive. The Kyuubi's power reduces him to an animal. And…to tell you the truth, I don't blame Naruto. Did he ever tell you about his childhood? He's had beatings all his life…and I think he was finally fed up with them. Sakura…he's not responsible for his actions. I think that the Kyuubi was directly influencing him. Right before he went four-tailed…he was talking to himself. Well, I don't think it was to _himself._" Jiraiya let the thought hang in the air…and everyone blanched.

"You mean he was talking to the Kyuubi?" Kakashi murmured, and he looked at the blond. He looked so exhausted, so worn out.

"I'm sure of it." Jiraiya growled, glaring at Naruto. Not so much at Naruto as into Naruto and at the Demon he was sure was watching with glee.

Sakura wiped her tears away, and whispered, "Is he okay?"

Jiraiya nodded. "Yeah. Let's take him back to the party. No one is to talk of this. Just pretend nothing happened for now. Let's just say we went looking for him because he was missing…and found him asleep on the street. He was exhausted."

Everyone nodded, serious looks on their faces. Kakashi looked down at the blond again. "Naruto…you poor boy." Kakashi murmured.

Neji looked at his friend, and asked softly. "The Kyuubi…he's not dead. He's been inside of Naruto all these years. Why weren't we told?"

Jiraiya felt anger burst inside of him, and calmed it. "The Council made it a law." Was all he said. Neji made a face of disgust. The council…always meddling and causing more trouble than doing anything to help.

They all walked to Yakiniku, and when they entered the party room, they found everyone waiting expectantly. Tsunade saw the seal on Naruto, and knew what had happened, but the others smiled when they saw Naruto.

Jiraiya put on a smiling face and laughed. "The little brat went out for a walk or something…and fell asleep in the streets! Can you believe that?" He laughed out, and everyone smiled. Kakashi set Naruto in a chair, and everyone smiled at the unconscious blonde. Only Ino, Hinata, and Tenten noticed Sakura's dried tears. But they stayed silent.

Everyone continued his or her previous activities, all the Jonin dispersing. They were making sure to not be suspicious and hang around Naruto as much as they felt they needed too. Only Sakura and Jiraiya sat next to him. Jiraiya carefully took off the seal, and stuck it back in his pockets as Tsunade walked over to them.

"What happened, Jiraiya?" Tsunade murmured. She could see the anger and worry in Sakura's eyes…and she could see the weary care in Jiraiya's.

"He went three tailed. He was targeted by a crowd of forty villagers." Jiraiya murmured back.

Tsunade felt a smoldering anger rise within her, and glared at the door to the party room. "Everyone felt something, and I just told them it was fine. It was just something I had scheduled for today that some ANBU were carrying out." She murmured. "What happened to the villagers?"

Jiraiya shifted uncomfortably. "He attacked them."

Tsunade grimaced. "And?"

Sakura spoke softly, looking at the boy she cared for. "No one is dead. They're all alive. Burned from his Chakra Shell…but alive. They're all unconscious in the street."

Tsunade rubbed her temples. This would be a headache. "I'll go clean up the mess. I'll have some ANBU take care of it." She said, and walked out of the room.

She came back a few minutes later, right as Naruto was stirring. He moaned groggily, and Sakura leaned forward anxiously. Jiraiya held the boy by his shoulder, and whispered words of encouragement.

"It's okay. Relax. Come on. Wake up…it's okay." He whispered, and Naruto opened his eyes.

Tsunade stood next to Sakura, smiling softly. "Wha…what? Where am I?" He asked. His eyes were glazed over, and Sakura gently ran her hand along the side of his face.

"You're okay. Relax. You're back at the party. We said you fell asleep on the street." Jiraiya murmured. Naruto nodded, his head clearing itself quickly. He trembled slightly.

"Did…did I kill anyone again?" Naruto asked, his voice trembling.

Sakura and Tsunade's eyes widened. "Again?" Tsunade whispered.

"Last time he went into a three and four-tailed state, he blacked out and lost control. He injured me…and then he killed seven rogue ninja that were attacking us." Jiraiya whispered.

"It's okay…no one's dead. Unconscious…but not dead." Sakura murmured, soothing Naruto.

Naruto sighed, and then panicked as he remembered his promise to Sakura. His Promises were never out of mind. He thought about them constantly. "Sakura…I'm sorry!" He whispered, eyes wide.

She looked away for a moment. Naruto lowered his head as soon as she looked away. '**Hahaha! Kit, you forgot that you promised her it wouldn't happen again? Oh, man…Hahaha! That's so tragic. Your first promise ever broken!**' The Kyuubi's voice chuckled in his head.

Naruto tensed, his jaw clenched, and a fiery anger erupted inside of him. Naruto looked at Jiraiya. "Kyuubi…Jiraiya! He can talk to me now! He's inside of my head!" Naruto whispered tersely.

'**Awww! Party pooper. Why'd you have to tell the old man on me?**' Kyuubi whined.

Jiraiya glared into Naruto's eyes. "I figured. Something seemed fishy." Jiraiya said.

"I can turn him off…but still. He said the near-death experience caused this." Naruto said, and mentally shut the Kyuubi up.

Sakura looked back at Naruto, worry obvious on her face. "Naruto…why didn't you stop when we told you to?" She asked.

Naruto looked at the floor. "I…I was losing control of my tailed state. It's hard to stay in control when I go two-tailed, let alone the three or four-tailed. I wasn't thinking clearly. I thought you guys were betraying me. I thought…it doesn't matter. I was a fool." Naruto sighed.

"Listen…I forgive you for breaking your promise. But next time…listen to us." She murmured, and kissed him on the cheek.

Naruto looked at her with relief…and she smiled sweetly back at him. He figured…it was time to tell them all. Naruto stood abruptly, knocking back his chair. He was going to do it now or never!

Jiraiya, Sakura, and Tsunade watched him with confusion, and he spoke loudly. "Can I have everyone's attention please?" Naruto asked.

Everyone looked at him, seeing he was awake, and smiled. Naruto didn't have the nerve to smile back. "I have something I need to tell you. Something that technically, is going against one of the council's laws! But, screw the council! You guys are my friends and you deserve to know the truth about me after all these years!" Naruto yelled, and everyone looked at him with curiosity. What was he talking about?

The Jonin in the room raised their eyebrows in surprise. This was unexpected…majorly. If the council ever got word of this...they wouldn't be happy with Naruto. Though technically they couldn't nail Naruto for breaking a law…only those who were there during the time of the law were held to it.

"Fourteen and a half years ago…the Kyuubi attacked our village." Naruto said, and everyone listened intently. They knew this already…but something in Naruto's manner made them listen carefully. "He killed a lot of our people…and a lot of the older generation like Iruka, lost their family. They tell you that the Kyuubi was killed that night by the Fourth Hokage! That he summoned the Death god…and sealed the Demon and his own soul in the Death god's stomach! Well…that was a lie!" Naruto yelled.

Shikimaru watched with a weary respect…while Iruka felt a heavy sadness for the boy who was baring his true self to his friends. The Jonin watched with respect, and Might Guy had tears running down his cheeks. Tsunade and Jiraiya and Sakura all watched in shock as Naruto started to unbutton his shirt. He took off his white over-shirt, then his white undershirt, baring his chest.

"The Yondaime summoned Gamabunta…the Chief Toad, and met the Nine Tailed Demon Fox, with an orphaned infant in his arms! He summoned the Death god…giving the death god his soul. Then, he wrestled the Demon Fox's soul from his body…but the Death god couldn't swallow it, because the Fox's soul was too big. So…they sealed the fox within that baby boy…making him the container of that hated demon." Naruto said, his voice strong and loud. Everyone watched as Naruto exercised some of his Chakra, and the seal on his belly became visible.

"That infant…that baby boy, was me. Our Fourth Hokage sealed the Kyuubi within _me_!" Naruto said, and everyone gasped. Understanding dawned on all the unsuspecting Chunin, and Kiba spoke up first.

"Why weren't we told about this sooner?" Kiba asked.

Naruto looked sadly at them. "The council decreed that no one ever speak the truth of what happened that night. No one was allowed to speak of it ever…and I didn't even know until I graduated from the Academy. You remember our old academy instructor Mizuki? He told me…while he got me to steal the Secret Scroll of Sealing. That's also the night I learned the Shadow Clone Skill."

"Naruto…why didn't you tell us this sooner?" Came a soft voice. Hinata stepped forward, sadness etched upon her face.

"I…I was afraid." Naruto said, and slowly put his shirts back on. "I was afraid to lose all my precious friends that I had gained. I had always been rejected and hated because of my demon…and I didn't want to risk losing you guys…who were my first family."

"I worked up the courage tonight…because I knew that you guys deserved the truth." Naruto said, and lowered his head.

"I can't convince you of much of anything…but I'm telling you the truth: I'm not a demon. I hold him within me, and _can_ harness his power. But…I'm not him. I'm Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto said, and waited for angry outbursts…the throwing of chairs or kunai, or even the sound of people preparing Jutsu attacks.

He didn't expect to hear Kiba yell, "So what? You're still Naruto! You haven't changed a bit! You are who you have always been…any fool could see that. You're my friend…and I know I don't look at you any differently than I already did."

Neji nodded. "The same with me. I now understand you much better…and I respect you even more than I already did."

Rock Lee clenched his fist and yelled, "The same goes with me, Naruto! You are still a bright flame of inspiration!"

Hinata gathered her courage. "You're still my inspiration...and my friend." She said, and was seconded by the rest of the Chunin in the room.

Shino was the last to speak. "Naruto…no matter what…we've always been your friends and we always will be. You're our comrade, our friend, and we've seen your true core. Always strong and faithful, loyal, determined…and you inspire us. Nothing can change that fact. We know you would give your life for us…and we would do the same for you. You are our precious comrade…and nothing will change that."

Everyone was astounded at the fact that Shino said so many words…and on top of that: it was deep. Naruto grinned, tears forming in his eyes. "Guys…you…thank you." He said, and everyone smiled.

All of the older people grinned with pride at their young comrade, who had finally spoken and revealed himself to all of his friends. They were proud their pupil's had responded how they had…and they felt the same way. They always had.

"Now…let's eat!" Choji yelled, digging once more into his plate.

Everyone laughed, and started to talk again. Naruto fixed his chair, setting it upright, and then sat down in relief. "See, brat? Your friends are just as loyal as you." Jiraiya said.

Naruto nodded, smiling. "Yeah. Yeah they are."

Jiraiya took a deep breath. "Well…I guess this is as good of a time as any to tell you, Naruto."

Naruto, Tsunade, and Sakura all looked at Jiraiya with curiosity. "I always knew…but wasn't sure how to tell you. It was probably stupid not to tell you…but…I didn't want you to start bragging and making yourself a target for all the enemies out there."

"Tell me what?" Naruto asked.

"Well…I'm sure Tsunade has suspected…but Kakashi and I have definitely know. After all…he was my pupil, and Kakashi's Teacher." Jiraiya said, still beating around the bush. Tsunade picked up on it immediately.

"NO!" She gasped. She looked at Naruto…and then at Jiraiya. Jiraiya nodded.

"Do you remember how I always would say on our journey…how you always reminded me of the Fourth Hokage?" Jiraiya asked Naruto.

Naruto nodded, waiting for Jiraiya to finally spit it out. "And do you remember me telling you that the Akatsuki's biggest goal was to capture the Legacy of the Fourth Hokage?"

Naruto nodded once again, his heart beating faster. "Naruto Uzumaki…the story you told to your friends was a partial lie. The boy in the Fourth Hokage's arms…was not parentless. His mother had died during Child-birth…and his father was one of the Village's greatest heroes. Your father…was one of the greatest men of all time." Jiraiya said. He hadn't spit it out yet…because he knew that what he was about to say would change Naruto's world forever. It might cause him to be targeted by enemies of his father's far and wide…but this knowledge would also be a weapon.

"Your Father…was Minato Namikaze. He gave you the last name of your Mother, so you wouldn't be targeted so easily. But…your father was the Yellow Flash of Konoha…the Yondaime Hokage…the Fourth." Jiraiya said solemnly.

Naruto's jaw dropped, as did Sakura's, and then the expected happened.

"WHAAAT?" Naruto yelled, falling over backwards.

Jiraiya waved Kakashi over. Kakashi nodded, jumping on the table. "We were going to wait for your sixteenth birthday…but it took me all night to convince Jiraiya to tell you today. I thought you deserved it."

Tsunade and Sakura helped Naruto up, who was once again the center of attention from everyone in the room. They held Naruto up, because his knees were too weak to hold his body. "M-m-my f-father?" Naruto stammered. Sakura looked in wonder at Naruto, and realized how much he looked like the Fourth. All the pictures she had seen…and she had never realized how much he looked like the Fourth.

"Jiraiya…why didn't you tell me this?" Tsunade demanded.

"Well, I figured you'd be bright enough to put two and two together." Jiraiya shrugged. She slapped him, and he winced.

Kakashi smiled at Naruto. "I wanted to tell you earlier. But I didn't think it was best to tell you until you were a bit more mature. Until you wouldn't spout it off to the world and gain your father's enemies. My teacher, your father, had a lot of enemies who would gladly hurt his son. I've done my job, keeping my promise to the Fourth Hokage. I've protected you to the best of my ability…and told you when you were ready to know."

Naruto, finding enough strength to stand, was let go by Sakura and Tsunade. "Kakashi-sensei…Jiraiya…thank you so much. I mean…this is awesome! My father was –umph!" He was silenced by Jiraiya's hand over his mouth.

"You can't say it so loud. You can tell your friends…but your father had enemies even in our Village. You have to keep it secret for a while." Jiraiya said sternly. Naruto, eyes wide and glistening with joy, nodded.

"Good. Now be a good little boy and go brag to your friends." Jiraiya chuckled.

Naruto waved everyone over. "Guys! COME HERE!" He squealed in joy.

Everyone gathered, curious as to what Naruto was so happy about now. Naruto whispered loud enough for everyone to hear him. "Guys…I just found out who my father was!"

Iruka's eyes widened, as did most everyone else's. "Who is it?" Shikimaru sighed wearily. He was getting tired, and Naruto's antics were troublesome.

"You guys have to keep this completely secret, okay?" Naruto asked.

Everyone nodded, anxious to hear. They wanted to share this new joy with Naruto. "My father…was the Yellow Flash! My father was the Fourth Hokage!" Naruto whispered, squeaking with joy at the end.

Everyone gasped, jaws dropping, speechless. Then…everyone yelled, "WHAAT!?" Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Tsunade all chuckled from over by the food tables.

"Well…that was good. Now that he knows…you know he'll never look at the Rasengan or anything the same again." Tsunade said.

Jiraiya nodded. "Once he gets to the apartment…he'll be pouring over his father's research and books. He'll gain power so fast…he'll be Hokage in no time. And…this will give him extra incentive and determination to become the best." He said thoughtfully.

Kakashi nodded, sagely. "This will help him mature even more, I'm sure.

They turned to see Naruto dancing around, pointing at his friends. "My dad could beat up your dad!"

Kakashi shook his head. "Or not."

It was well into the midnight hour when everyone left, tired and still stunned by the turn of events. Two amazing things had been revealed to them…and they were still shell-shocked.

Everyone had all gone home except Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi, Tsunade, and Jiraiya. The five were walking down the streets, towards an abandoned section of town…where Kakashi and Jiraiya said that Minato's apartment was. It was an abandoned part of town…because many people had died from this area and no one wanted to go back due to the bad memories. Jiraiya said that the 'apartment' that his father lived in was a large one…but not too fancy. Minato and his mother didn't enjoy being too extravagant. They were simple people, despite Minato's extraordinary talents and stills.

The mood of the party was apprehensive. This was the time Naruto would finally get to see his family's house…but Naruto knew this part of town well. He had hid in these abandoned houses many times as a child. When he had been abused as a young boy, he would often lose the mobs in these apartments…and Naruto couldn't help but wonder if he had previously been to his father's apartment.

"Jiraiya…who was my mother?" Naruto asked suddenly, the though sprouting. Naruto had never heard of the Fourth Hokage's wife.

"Her name was Kushina Uzumaki. She was from Whirlpool Country. That's all I know…I don't even know about this Whirlpool Country. So, it must have been a tiny area." Jiraiya answered.

Kakashi nodded, and gave Naruto a smile. "I bet you can't wait to see everything."

Naruto nodded slowly. "Yeah…I want to see photos and learn all I can about my mom and Dad. It's hard knowing this…when I think about no one telling me. I mean I understand, believe me I understand the need for it. But…not even the Third told me. And now all of a sudden I'm the son of one of the greatest ninja in the world."

Kakashi nodded, and put his hand on Naruto's shoulder. Jiraiya grinned as he heard Kakashi speak. "I learned a lot from your father, Naruto. You reminded me so much of him when I first met you, I figured I would pass on a lesson to you that your father passed on to me. I was overconfident when I first did that Bell Test, just like you. I attacked head on, and the next thing I know…your father was behind me."

Naruto looked in surprise at Kakashi. "You mean he made the…?"

Kakashi nodded ruefully. "Yes. He was the one who invented and first executed the Secret Taijutsu: A Thousand Years of Death."

Everyone burst out laughing, and Naruto hugged Kakashi. Kakashi was startled at first…but then smiled softly. "Thanks, Kakashi-sensei."

"You're welcome. Now…here we are. This is the building. It's a nice apartment, trust me. But...no one has ever been here since that night. Everyone left. No one knows even how to enter. Somehow, the building is protected. It was probably through some secret Jutsu of your father's…but not even the Third could break inside. It was protected and locked…and maybe it still will be." Kakashi said, and pointed up at the building they were in front of.

The building was just like every other apartment building…except it was heavily damaged. The only thing what wasn't damaged was the top floor. Naruto knew then…the apartment was on the top floor. Kakashi and everyone seemed to know that as well, and Naruto turned to them. "I don't mean to be rude…but could I be alone for tonight?" He nervously asked.

Tsunade, Kakashi, and Jiraiya all nodded. Sakura hesitated…but then nodded as well. "Okay. Naruto, I'll be researching how to fix your 'fox' problem from now on…okay? Just make sure not to talk to him too much. He's still an extremely intelligent foe…and I wouldn't put it past him to influence you somehow." Jiraiya said, looking sternly back at Naruto as he walked away. Naruto watched as Kakashi and Tsunade followed.

"We have to report tomorrow for a mission, don't forget! Bright and early…the usual time, okay?" Kakashi said, waving goodbye. Naruto waved back, and soon it was just Sakura and Naruto standing together.

Sakura locked gazes with Naruto, and clasped her hands nervously in front of her. She was hesitant now…and Naruto was silent. She obviously wanted to say something. He could tell. He kept his gaze soft and understanding, open and patient. After a few moments, she took a deep breath. "Naruto…I love you." She said, and he gave her a soft smile.

He slowly raised his right hand to her soft pale left cheek, and caressed her soft skin. She closed her beautiful green eyes, and leaned into his touch a little…enjoying his contact. He brought her close to him, their bodies pressing together. She wrapped her arms around him, and he kissed her softly on her lips. "I love you too…more than I could ever put into words." He murmured back. His left hand, wandered to the small of her back and stayed there. He hugged her tightly, and she held on just as tight. Tonight would be a rough night, she knew. But if he felt he needed to face this night alone, then she would let him…no matter how much she didn't want him to be alone.

Their passion escalated suddenly, both wanting to do more than just have one little goodnight kiss. But they both knew they shouldn't…and so they disengaged. They both sighed silently, and Naruto looked at her with such affection, Sakura almost threw all caution to the wind and leapt into his arms. But, her self control remained intact. She brushed a stray strand of pink hair out of her face…and then whispered, "If you need me at all…you know where I am." And then she turned and left. It was hard, to leave him alone on a night that she knew would he difficult for him. But everyone deserved their alone time, whether or not they could handle it. She just hoped that he would come to her if he needed her at all.

Finally, Naruto stood alone. He looked at the gaping doorway, devoid of an actual door. The hallway was dark, a gaping hole that seemed sinister. Like a hole that would suck him down into its depths…where hell surely waited for him. He opened the mental link with the Kyuubi, and the Kyuubi's consciousness registered the re-established link.

However…the Kyuubi could tell his host was simply feeling lonely. Any company would be welcome, even his. So, he kept silent, but he let a small amount of his power constantly flowing through Naruto. It was simply an adrenaline boost of sorts, to keep his strength up. The Kyuubi could see Naruto's thoughts…memories of his abusive childhood. He had indeed come to this building once. He had never had to venture to the top level though, which is why Naruto never found the 'apartment unable to be opened'.

Naruto took a deep breath, and drew slightly on the power leaking from the Kyuubi. His vision shifted, as Naruto's eyes turned blood red. He was able to see through the oppressive dark much better now…but he was still scared. What if there were some kind of lingering spirits…who could sense their murderer within Naruto? What would happen?

"**Relax, Kit. You'll be fine. I'm **_**pure**_** spirit, able to sense other spirits…especially malevolent ones. There are none here. All the spirits have passed on." **The Kyuubi reassured his host. He didn't know why he was actually reassuring the boy. He was the strongest of the Demons…and here he was comforting a 15 year old teenage boy who was scared. What had he been reduced to?

Naruto replied to the Kyuubi verbally. "Thanks, fox." He said, and then stepped towards the doorway. He breathed in a deep breath, held it, and then stepped across the threshold into the dark apartment.

Naruto had just finished climbing the stairs to the top level of the apartment. The lower levels were heavily damaged, where he had had to use Shadow Clones to help him remove the debris that blocked his path from cave-ins thanks to the weak and damaged upper levels. Even the stairwell was in extreme disrepair. He had to climb the walls using Chakra several times, but he had finally made it to the top floor, the 8th floor. The only thing that separated him from the undamaged floor…was a solid metal door with a rusted bar that you pushed to get inside.

Naruto pushed against the rusted door and pushed the door open, and was amazed at what he saw. The lights were on. The air smelled fresh. The carpet was not faded…nothing was dusty. It was all brand new. Naruto stopped drawing on the Kyuubi's power, and his eyes shifted back to blue. He no longer needed the Kyuubi's power.

Naruto looked to his left, and to his right. There were five doors total. None on this side of the wall, but all on the wall dead ahead of him. The first door was in front of him…and it read, '803'. It was the middle door. Naruto took a step onto the soft maroon colored carpet. The soft golden light of the light bulbs gave the impression of security…as did the soft cream colored walls. Naruto felt drawn to this first door.

Naruto extended his hand towards the solid dark brown door, room '803'. It had a polished bronze round doorknob, and Naruto grasped it. The Kyuubi was silent, apprehension on thick in the air, and even the Kyuubi was curious as to what awaited them behind this door.

Naruto, drawing his courage, grabbed the doorknob and twisted. The door seemed to move with a will of its own, and swung open. Naruto's hand dropped to his side, and he was caught off guard by a purple flash. A seal, right in the doorway, burned away into non-existence. In its place, shimmered into existence a familiar looking man, holding a bundle in his arms.

The man was an adult Naruto…without the whiskers. Even Naruto could see the scary similarity now. The bundle in The Fourth Hokage's arms moved, and The Hokage shushed the squirming form wrapped in cloth. Minato, as soon as the bundle had stopped moving, looked up. His ice-blue eyes met Naruto's…and he smiled. "Welcome, son." He said, his voice calm and soft. Naruto could see his eyes were red and puffy…and knew that his father had been crying.

"The seal would not let anyone without my blood to enter…so you are the only one who could open this door after I seal it shut. This place…is a sacred place. This is the place of your birth…and your home." Minato said, and shifted slightly. His white jacket shifted, drawing Naruto's eyes to the red flames dancing at the hem of the coat. Naruto glanced at the bundle, and could make out a baby with a large amount of puffy golden hair. He was seeing…himself.

"I don't have much time to explain. I'm sorry…but our village is in danger. Assuming I'm successful with what I'm about to do…you are the carrier of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, the Kyuubi. I am fairly confident I can seal the Kyuubi…but it will require sacrifice from both of us. You have born that sacrifice all of your life…with the foul beast being sealed within you thanks to me. I am sorry for that…I truly am. However, there is an upside to this. He is your 'battery' so to speak. Every time you harness his power…his lessens. His power increases your capacity for Chakra, merging both of your Chakra together into one. At the end of your teenage years…you will be free of him. His power will be fully merged with you, and he will be rendered non-existent. You will effectively be the ninja with the largest Chakra system in the history of this world." Minato said, gently swaying. Naruto, the baby, gurgled dreamily. The grown up Naruto smiled at himself…and Minato smiled at the baby as well.

"I'm sorry, Naruto." He whispered, and then looked at Naruto.

"This apartment is mine…and now yours. I have a study here, a small one, but one that is most useful. My diaries are stored there, and also a scroll of my own unique Jutsu creations and possible ideas. Those are also yours. You may have a lot of questions…and the only way to get them answered is to read my diaries. Please, Naruto…forgive me for what you will have to deal with…but know that I love you with all of my heart." Minato said, and then glanced hurriedly around.

"I have to go now. The Fox has just demolished the first wave of attackers. Farewell son…I love you." He hurriedly said, and then shimmered into non-existence.

Naruto crossed the threshold into the apartment, and shut the door behind him. He examined his father's…now his own…apartment, and was surprised at the beauty of it. To his left, no more than two feet, was a soft white wall with three picture frames. To his right was a square wooden table with two chairs, and Naruto was surprised to see polished white linoleum tiles extend forward a good twenty feet until it was met by a mauve carpet.

Naruto turned and looked at the three photos on the wall to his left, and raised his eyebrows at the sight of the first picture. His father was standing behind a beautiful young woman with his arms wrapped around her slightly swollen stomach. Naruto realized then…that the beautiful young woman was his mother.

Naruto quickly examined his mother. She had long straight red hair that extended to her shoulder blades, and she had soft pale skin, and warm green eyes. Her smile was soft and warm…and she was wearing a black dress. It looked that from the photo, Kushina and Minato were at a fancy restaurant and Minato had gotten someone to take a picture of him and his lover. Naruto was struck at how perfect they looked together.

He moved on to the next photo, and was surprised that he recognized Kakashi in it. Kakashi was young…really young. He was stiff, serious, unlike the three other Ninja in the photo. And, Kakashi didn't have his Sharingan or his scar yet. Both of his eyes were revealed, but he still wore that stupid half-mask. Kakashi had his arms crossed over his chest, face blank and unemotional. Standing above him, grinning a grin that was scarily like Naruto's, was Minato giving Kakashi Bunny ears.

On Kakashi's right stood a young boy with spiky black hair, who wore big orange goggles…and who was grinning wildly. He was striking a victory pose, both hands extended towards the camera with the first two fingers of each hand sticking up in a 'v' for victory.

A pretty young girl stood on Kakashi's left, smiling sweetly. Her brown hair was brushed straight down to her shoulders, framing her smiling face. She had two diagonal purple rectangle tattoos on her cheeks, one on each cheek, that reminded Naruto of Kiba's tattoo's. Naruto shook his head, clearing that thought.

The third and final photo was a photo of Jiraiya and Minato grinning together…on top of Gamabunta. Naruto's eyes were wide. Jiraiya must have been completely serious when he said that only Minato had ever truly been able to ride on the head of Gamabunta. Heck, the giant toad wouldn't even let the pervy sage do it! Naruto grinned in pride at his father.

He walked past the wall, and saw that to the left, on the other side of the wall was a kitchen. It was small, but it would do. Naruto walked further, and stepped onto the mauve carpet. To his right was a door, though it was a good ten feet away. Naruto glanced quickly at the soft red velvet couch that sat in front of a TV that was sitting in the corner. Naruto then ventured to the door directly to his right, and opened it.

It was a bathroom, with the toilet on the far side of the room, a sink and mirror to his left, and a bathtub to his right. The bathroom floor was a white tile, that still shone like it was new. To the left of the toilet, from Naruto's view, there was a large wooden shelf that held towels and rags. But between the shelves and the toilet was a large trash-can looking object, that had a dirty towel hanging off the edge.

Naruto backed out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He then turned left slightly. There was a solid door with a round bronze doorknob. He stepped up to the door, gripped the doorknob and twisted it while pushing forward. The door swung in, and Naruto was surprised that he was now in the bedroom. It was large, clean…and Naruto's eyes were drawn to the neatly made bed. It had been made before Minato had left, which was kind of strange. Naruto shook his head. Decorating the walls of the bedroom were multiple pictures. There was a full length mirror directly to Naruto's left, and next to the mirror was another door. Next to the door…was a white crib.

Naruto froze. It had been his crib, all those years ago. Naruto battled the sudden surge of tears that sprang to his eyes, clenching his jaw. He couldn't cry yet. He held back the tears, and went to the door to his left that was between the crib and mirror. He opened it, and was confronted…with his father's study.

Naruto was surprised to see a hand-woven oval rug in the middle of the small room. It was green, with a golden Konoha symbol in the middle. The golden threads shone brightly in the lamp-light. To Naruto's left was a 10 foot long bookshelf filled with scrolls and books. Then, straight ahead of Naruto was a 5 foot long bookshelf that lined up with the wall, and to the right of the bookshelf was Minato's desk. There were several scrolls in a pile on the desk, piled neatly. Naruto walked over to the chair, it was plain…but sturdy, and pulled it out. He sat in it, and gritted his teeth. He let a single tear escape his right eye, and then he wiped it away. He could cry later.

Tonight…he would read his father's diaries, and if time permitted…he might learn a Jutsu. But then...he would go to bed. He knew that he would cry himself to sleep…but he was determined to put it off for as long as possible. He rose, and determinedly started to look for his father's diaries. He would learn all he could about his parents.

I know it's not much of an ending again. Sorry. This is just revised to be a bit more realistic. Review and let me know which of you like this version better than the last, or what. Okay? It's necessary. I apologize for the delay, but I don't want to lose a reader. But if the majority vote for the previous version, I'll stick with that. Please let me know.

FR1


	7. Chapter 7

Lost in the Green Seas

Okay, due to the overwhelming response, this chapter will be run off of the revised chapter six, kay? I apologize sincerely for all the not-so-fast updates. I wish I could do them faster, but I'm having difficulties. I appreciate your patience though. I also REALLY appreciate your reviews. Really. It makes me want to get to crackin' on this story, and I've been crackin' as much as I can. Thank you though.

Just a little pre-note here. The most attention getting of the reviewers just happened to be mangafreak007, lol. I couldn't stop laughing when I read your reviews! I apologize, but before long I WILL have to kill at least one of the people on your list. As much as I like them as well…the story can't go on without one of them dying. You do realize this, right?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto…and I'm getting tired of saying this. sigh

CHAPTER 7: Puppet Master Versus…?

Somehow, throughout the entire night, The Akatsuki members had stayed the same distance away from him as when he had spotted them on the horizon. It had taken him a good few hours to realize he had fallen prey to a simple, yet extremely subtle, Genjutsu. He cursed his luck, dispelled the Genjutsu, and then proceeded to find the Akatsuki's trail again.

It was around 8:00 in the morning, the sand already hot and bright from the sun, when Kankuro finally managed to spot the Akatsuki on the horizon again. Growling in anger…he increased his speed to the max. He would be upon them within thirty or so minutes.

----------------

Naruto was on the bridge…their bridge, at 6:00 in the morning. He had only gotten an hour of sleep after crying himself to sleep. He had made several Shadow clones and fetch his alarm clock before he stopped reading his father's journals in order sleep. Naruto's eyes were still slightly puffy and red from all the crying he had done. He was weary, and his eyes burned slightly.

He was resting with his forearms on the brown bridge railing, staring down into the flowing river underneath. The crisp morning air was dampened slightly by the small amount of fog that still remained…but Naruto wasn't paying attention to the slight cold. His eyes were distant, glazed…and his mind was lost in memory. Memories of waiting for Kakashi on this bridge…back when Cell 7 was a full squad. Back when Sasuke was with them.

Over the past few years, Naruto had never stopped thinking about his friend. Sasuke was always in his thoughts, as were Sakura and Kakashi. Naruto sighed with sadness…and could imagine Sasuke next to him. Just like all those years ago, he and Sasuke resting casually on the railing, while they waited for Sakura and Kakashi. Even now…Naruto could remember the feel of the gaze of the Uchiha upon him as he looked out on the water.

Naruto sniffed the air as a scent tickled his memory, and he gave a soft smile. He had been to lost in memory to pay attention to his surroundings. "How long have you been there, Sakura-chan?" He asked, not bothering to turn.

Sakura Haruno, dressed in the same outfit as the day Naruto had returned except now she wore pale colored elbow pads and the same color over-skirt to go over her skin-tight dark green shorts, stood behind Naruto. She also wore a pair of high-heeled ninja sandal boots. The heels were thick and stable, but she was still fashionable. She was standing with her hands clasped in front of her, shoulders drooped slightly, waiting for Naruto to notice her. She looked up at him, and gave a soft smile.

"Not long. Maybe a few minutes." She said quietly. The morning was silent...even as the sun's rays shone slightly above the horizon. The sun landed on their shoulders, warming them slightly and casting the gloom of the mist away.

Naruto, wishing he were feeling better…but deciding that Sakura shouldn't be troubled by how bad he was really feeling, put on the false smile…his mask. He laughed and turned to her. "So how did you sleep, Sakura-chan?" He asked, grinning widely.

Sakura's gaze saddened slightly, and it looked like she was slightly hurt. She was. Naruto was pretending…as he had for all those years. That bright smile was cute…but it was fake right now. She could recognize that his eyes held sadness, and didn't have the warmth of his smile. She turned her head away from him, trying not to overreact. Had things really been so rough on him last night that he felt he had to shield her?

She turned back to him, her gaze sad. She took a few steps forward, her soft steps making hollow sounds on the bridge's wooden planks. She was almost chest to chest with Naruto now…and she looked into his eyes. "Don't hide from me, Naruto." She whispered, putting her hands lightly on his chest. She let her forearms and hands rest upon his upper torso, and she put her head on his right shoulder.

"Please don't hide from me." She whispered, nuzzling his neck slightly. "Do you not trust me enough to be the true you around me? Do you not trust me enough to be able to come to me?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Naruto's wide smile disappeared as he wrapped his arms around her sturdy yet small frame. She could read him so well already? He sighed as he dropped the cheery façade, and leaned his head against hers. The smell of her Cherry Blossom shampoo was thick and enjoyable, and he had to resist the urge to breath in deeply.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. It's been a habit for so long…and I didn't want to burden you. I'm sorry. I do trust you…" He murmured, and Sakura extricated herself from his arms, and stood in front of him with a soft little smile on her lips.

"I forgive you. How could I not?" She said, and Naruto could see compassion in her sparkling green eyes. She walked to Naruto's side, leaning on the side of the railing with him as they both turned to look at the river.

There was silence, and Naruto sighed. He spoke slowly, keeping his voice composed. "I was in my father's apartment last night…and it was really hard. He had some kind of seal, that recorded a visual message. He was holding me as a baby…as he prepared to go and sacrifice his life. I…walked into the apartment, and I looked at all the photographs on the walls and I could see my parents. Parents I'd never known…were so happy with each other. Both parents, parents that I've yearned for all my life…are dead and I realized that no matter what I know about them, I'll never be able to know them or be with them. My father's soul is sealed inside of the Death god…and I won't be able to ever be reunited with him even in the afterlife." Naruto murmured. He felt tears gathering in his eyes, and he quickly brushed them away.

"The place was the same as when he had left, fourteen years ago. My baby crib was still there, so were all their clothes and belongings. Everything…meant for a life that none of us ended up having. And then, I went to my father's small study and read his diaries that he had stored there. I found out that the thing he wanted most…was to be a father and see his son grow up into a successful young man. He wanted to grow old with my mother by his side. And…none of his dreams came true." Naruto said, his voice cracking slightly.

Sakura looked at Naruto, but he couldn't return her gaze. He stared straight ahead as he continued. "And then that got me thinking…what if none of my dreams come true? What if you or I get killed, before we get married? What if I die before having a son or daughter, and I don't get to know the joy of experiencing that? What if…what if I don't become Hokage?" Naruto trailed off into a whisper at the end…and tears ran down his cheeks unrestrained.

Sakura felt her heart beat faster as what he said sank in. He was already thinking about marriage with her? She quickly snapped out of her reverie, and looked at the handsome young man next to her. He seemed so fragile…so fragile that if a soft breeze were to blow, he would be swept away into nothing.

She laid one of her hands gently upon his, and he looked at her, tears flowing down his face. She felt tears rise to her eyes in response to seeing him this way, and as she spoke, her voice trembled. "Naruto…you can't live in fears of the 'what if's of life. Life is uncertain…it always has been and it always will be. Even if you weren't a ninja, even if neither of us were…you could always die before your dreams become complete. But, that shouldn't stop us from trying to reach our dreams. Our dreams are what makes this life so valuable and enjoyable…our dreams and joys are what helps us make it through this life and all of its uncertainties. We're mortals…our lives are brief and faint. I heard somewhere, that the gods envy us. Because of this: while they go on living, our lives are so brief and we can live so much more in our short lifespan than they can in their long ones…we can have so much more joy. That's why…you have to have that joy. Don't be afraid to continue on your path, and don't fear if your dream will come true or not. Chase your dreams, your hopes, and never let go of them. That's what you helped teach me. Even if it might not come true, we can do nothing but do our best to make sure they come true."

He nodded, and wiped his tears away with his free hand, and felt Kakashi watching them from up in the trees. He could sense his sensei's familiar chakra presence, as well as smell the man. Kakashi's presence, however, was sad. Naruto assumed he had been listening. Naruto cleared his throat, dried his face, and smiled softly at Sakura. Uncaring to the fact that Kakashi was watching them, Naruto gave Sakura a gentle kiss on the lips. She melted into the kiss, and they kissed for a few more moments before Naruto felt the presence of his instructor teleport behind them onto the railing. Sakura heard the faint noise and withdrew from the kiss disappointed that it had to stop so soon.

"Yo." Kakashi intoned without emotion. However, Kakashi felt far from emotionless. He was curious, happy, and sad all at the same time. Sad for Naruto, Happy for Naruto…and Curious as to if his deceased instructor's apartment had been left exactly as Kakashi remembered.

Naruto and Sakura yelled their traditional yell. "LATE!" They yelled at their white-haired companion. Kakashi chuckled, but waved his hands at them in defense. "Nonono! I'm not late! I actually made it on time this time, to commemorate the first day of Team 7's reactivation!"

Naruto and Sakura glanced at each other, their eyebrows up in surprise. "Really?" They asked, and Kakashi nodded.

"Oh. Okay then." Naruto said, and they all laughed. They lined up, Naruto on the far right, Sakura in the middle, and Kakashi on the left. They started to walk off the bridge, in the direction of the Hokage tower to the assignment room.

"So…Naruto. I hope you're going to behave yourself. When we get assigned missions…because you're still a Genin…you have to accept them without struggle." Kakashi admonished.

Naruto nodded. "Absolutely. I _have_ grown up, ya know." Naruto said, wagging his finger at his sensei. Sakura, who was between the two, giggled.

Kakashi smiled and abruptly looked at the sky. He had heard a bird cry that was from a bird that did not belong in the Leaf. A light hazel brown bird darted towards the Hokage Tower, and Kakashi squinted his eye. '_Hmmm._' He thought, wary.

"Eh, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked, pulling Kakashi from his reverie.

"Yes, Naruto?" Kakashi replied, looking at the blond.

"I found out how you got your Sharingan." Naruto said, looking up at the sky. Naruto had been dumbfounded as he read all that his father had written about Kakashi…and it was obviously not a light subject. He wasn't sure if Kakashi wanted Sakura to even know.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, and gave a rueful smile. He scratched his head, and he felt sadness rise up in him. So now one of his students knew how stupid he had been in his younger days…and not just stupid, but completely like scum. "You did? How?" Kakashi asked, and Sakura looked curiously at Naruto and Kakashi. They were both…reserved in making sure they didn't say too much in front of her…she could tell.

"My father had five or six really thick journals…and last night I read two of them. The second one ended with that event." Naruto said, and laced his hands behind his head.

Kakashi nodded…and then sighed. "Do you look on me any differently now that you know how stupid I was?" He asked, looking at Naruto with his real eye.

Naruto looked at his sensei…and saw a deep sadness in his eye. Naruto knew the reassuring thing to say…but he wasn't going to say anything other than the truth. "Yes." Naruto said simply, without emotion. Kakashi's eye revealed an emotion for an instant before he could cover it up, so Naruto continued with his explanation. The emotion that Kakashi had…was an even deeper sadness, bordering on despair.

"You see…before I read that journal, even after you told me how arrogant and reckless you were last night, it didn't really sink in. But after reading all about you and your teammates…it actually hit me. You were actually like us once, and you went through the same things. I have even more respect for you now…seeing how you were, seeing how you've sacrificed, and seeing how you've learned and changed. I used to think you were this near-perfect Jonin who was always right…even when you were wrong. No matter how annoying…you were always invincible. However, I see that no matter how good or 'invincible' you are…you can still hurt. Especially emotionally. And…now I see you no longer as the strict and invincible teacher. I see you now as one of us…a regular person, albeit with so much skill it's scary. Now I look up to you even more, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said, and Sakura smiled as she heard Naruto's speech.

Kakashi did as well, and promptly pulled out his Make-out Tactics book. He used it as a shield to wipe away the tears from his eyes without the two seeing. It really touched him, Naruto's speech. Kakashi pretended to read for a little while, and then put his book away. Naruto grinned now, as they drew close to the Hokage Tower.

"Hey Sakura…did you know that Kakashi used to always be exactly on time for everything when he was younger? He was never once late." Naruto said, and Sakura looked in surprise at Kakashi. For as long as she had known him…he had always been late.

"What?" She asked, shocked.

Kakashi laughed. "Yup. I was a real stickler until I got older." All of them laughed…trying to imagine Kakashi all uptight and stern. It didn't do anything except cause them to laugh.

-------------

Kankuro knew that the Akatsuki knew he was following them…because they had stopped after ten minutes of him spotting them on the horizon. Two Akatsuki…was not a great combination. Two 'S' Rank ninja versus a Jonin Puppet Master? This wouldn't end good…but hopefully Kankuro could even up the match considerably.

They waited patiently for him to arrive, unwavering and still underneath the hot Desert Sun. When Kankuro was within twenty yards, the tall blond Akatsuki spoke. "So…have you come to die?" He asked, and Kankuro grinned at the sight of the one-armed Akatsuki. Gaara had at least wounded the Akatsuki enough to even up the odds some more.

"I've come to retrieve my brother!" Kankuro yelled, clenching his fists.

"Very well…if you're in a rush to die, then come. I hate waiting." The smaller and hunch-backed Akatsuki said. His voice was gravelly, deep, and grating. It made Kankuro want to cover his ears and grit his teeth.

Kankuro did not plan to make them wait. "Ninja Art: Puppet Technique!" He yelled, removing the scroll from his back and unraveling it in front of him. 

Sasori's eyes widened. '_The Puppet Technique?_' He thought.

"I summon Karasu!" He yelled, and an explosion of smoke erupted from the scroll in front of him. He continued. "Kuroari!" Another explosion of smoke accompanied the name he shouted. "And Sanshouuo!" The final explosion of smoke was so big; it obscured the Akatsuki's view of their attacker.

As the thick white smoke dissipated, it revealed Kankuro…surrounded by three man-sized wooden battle puppets. Kankuro's fingertips glowed blue from invisible Chakra strings that allowed him to manipulate the puppets freely. The Crow battle puppet, Karasu, was the fastest and most man-like, but had three eyes. The next puppet, Kuroari, was barrel shaped and looked like a horse with two small horns protruding from its mane. The third, Sanshouuo, was a lizard-like, four-legged puppet that was the newest and strongest defensive puppet.

Deidara grinned. "Well, Master Sasori…I'll leave this fight to you. I don't have any more attack material. Good luck." And with that, he jumped onto the back of his giant white bird. It started to lift off, and Kankuro gritted his teeth.

"Not yet! Go, Crow!" He yelled, and swung his right hand. The Crow battle puppet rattled as it soared after the fleeing Akatsuki, its body spinning. Suddenly, Karasu halted in midair, caught like a fly in a trap. Deidara soared higher and higher, and Kankuro gasped in shock. "What?"

A large, metal tail extended out from the back of Sasori's black and red cloak…a tail that looked very much like a scorpion's tail. It wrapped around the wooden frame of Karasu, effectively halting the puppet's path. Kankuro gritted his teeth in anger. "You're talented to be able to catch Karasu, the fastest of the puppets." Kankuro said, and Sasori grated out a reply.

"Oh, that little fly? Oh…look…it's stopped." He said, obviously arrogant. Kankuro could make out very little about Sasori…other than the fact that he had tiny beady eyes…and his skin was a light olive brown. His straw hat obscured the top half of his face, and then he had a black kerchief covering the bottom half of his face.

"I'll take you out…and then I'll go after your partner." Kankuro sneered, and with a twitch of his right hand, send Kuroari at the hunch-backed Sasori. Sasori simply threw Karasu at Kuroari, causing the puppets to clash and fall in a heap.

"You will do no such thing. You won't even be able to last very long." Sasori's voice grated, and Kankuro seethed in anger. He waved his hands, and the puppets came back to life and disentangled themselves.

"Oh yeah? Hah! Don't underestimate me!" Kankuro yelled, and swung both of his arms in wide sweeping motions. The puppets spun, and Karasu sprouted two thin blades from his palms…two poisoned blades. Karasu and Kuroari flew circles around Sasori…and then Karasu darted in to attack. He thrust his blades at Sasori, but was blocked by the Akatsuki's thick metal tail. Sasori never even blinked.

Kankuro gritted his teeth. He twitched his first finger on each finger, and Karasu and Kuroari both reacted to his command. Their arms popped up at the elbow, revealing their arms as hollow tubes. Then, a flurry of poisoned senbon needles were shot from the arms of the puppets, all while still flying circles around Sasori. Sasori's tail waved around him, destroying the attacking needles that had surrounded him.

"Is this all? Aren't you going to get serious at all?" Sasori asked, sounding bored. Kankuro yelled in frustration, and quickly manipulated all the strings attached to his fingers. Sanshouuo joined the fray, and all three puppets spun around Sasori. Karasu and Sanshouuo then carried on the assault, blasting Sasori with their stashes of hidden and poisoned weapons.

Kankuro watched with a sense of sick apprehension as Sasori never even blinked…and all the weapons thrown his way were batted away as harmlessly as flies. Senbon, Kunai, throwing stars….The Crow's poisoned arm blades…none of it even came close to touching the statuesque Akatsuki. He only regarded Kankuro's attacks with a mild interest, though hardly that.

"Come on already...I thought I told you to get serious!" Sasori barked out, his gravelly voice grating on Kankuro's nerves.

"SHUT UP!" Kankuro yelled, and quickly executed a combination of string manipulations to unleash one of his ultimate moves. He was losing his cool. Gaara was being taken away…and here he was battling an Akatsuki who hardly batted an eyelash at Kankuro's attacks.

Karasu's arms swung up at the elbows, revealing the hollow tubes once more, and Sasori hardly glanced at the spinning puppet. However, what fired from Karasu's arms was not any of the sharp weapons that had been fired before. Instead, what fired from both of the hollow tubes that were Karasu's arms…were two poison smoke bombs.

The round, baseball size purple orbs exploded in front of Sasori. "Face the true genius of a puppet master!" Kankuro yelled, and initiated his attack. The billowing purple clouds served two purposes. First, was to poison his enemy. The second, was to obscure his opponent's senses. This would be the final attack.

Sasori, blinded, was forced to wait for his opponents attack. Suddenly, the ground underneath Sasori exploded upwards, throwing him high into the air as he was actually hit by one of the puppets. It was Kuroari, the horse-like Puppet.

Kankuro was furiously working his Chakra strings, and Karasu' suddenly disassembled into ten to twenty parts. Out of each joining section…popped out a poisoned blade. Underneath Sasori, who was just now reaching the apex of his flight, Kuroari readied his attack.

Kuroari's chest snapped open, and his chest swung open. His chest was pointed upwards, waiting expectantly for its prey. The Crow's body parts were floating in the air, blades pointed in at Kuroari…waiting for the moment. Sasori fell into the waiting chest casket of Kuroari, and the chest panels slammed shut and locked with sharp clacking noises. Kuroari sat, motionless, and Kankuro grinned. He swung his arms, sending all the arm and leg parts slamming home into slits in Kuroari…blades slamming and slicing deep into Sasori. Kuroari's head shifted backwards, revealing one last slit…waiting for the last part of Karasu: the head. Out of the base of the neck sprouted a long but thin blade, and Kankuro yelled, "Black Secret Technique: Instant Death Puppet Theater!"

He twitched his first finger on his left hand…and Karasu's head slammed home in the last slit on the very top of Karasu. The puppets stayed still, and then the wind started to blow very faintly. Kankuro watched with a feral grin at his orchestrated performance. It was a very masterful kill. Then…he noticed something that made him mutter softly in surprise.

"What?" He asked, and walked close to his puppet to see the strange thing that had caught his attention.

----------------------------------------

Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi were walking down the wide hall that led to the Mission briefing office. Naruto was catching up on what happened with them over the years, and listened intently. Especially when Sakura spoke.

However, their talk was interrupted when a young woman ran past them, yelling. "GET OUT OF THE WAY!" She yelled, running towards them…coming from their destination. She slammed into Naruto as she ran past, causing the young blond to throw attitude.

"Yo! Watch where you're going!" He yelled, shaking his fist at the fleeing female. Sakura and Kakashi grinned at Naruto, simply because he reminded them of an old person by the way he was responding to the incident.

Naruto brushed himself off, straightening his jacket. He noticed his companion's grins, and rolled his eyes. "I'm touchy after lack of sleep." He said, trying to explain his behavior. Sakura and Kakashi rolled their eyes, but chuckled at him. They walked a bit further, and stopped in front of the double doors that separated them from the Mission Briefing and Payment room.

Sakura and Kakashi looked at Naruto questioningly, who had a strange look on his face. He noticed their looks, and explained. "I haven't been here in a long time…not since we were all a team."

Kakashi and Sakura nodded, each of them remembering when they had been Team 7…with Sasuke. "Oh well. Let's go. I just hope I don't screw anything up. I haven't been on a mission in years." Naruto said, and then pushed open the double swinging doors.

Waiting at a long table at the far end of the room were Tsunade, Iruka, and Shizune. They smiled when they saw Team Kakashi, and all the members of Team Kakashi grinned back. Tsunade immediately put on her gruff façade.

"About time. I've been waiting for you to get here. Are you ready for your first mission?" Tsunade asked, and all three ninja snapped to attention.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." Kakashi said, saluting.

"Absolutely, Baa-chan!" Naruto laughed, lacing his hand behind his head casually.

Tsunade threw a death-glare at Naruto. "Address me with my proper title, Brat." Tsunade growled playfully.

Naruto bantered right back. "Only if you address me by mine." He said haughtily, crossing his arms over his chest. A grin formed on his face, and Tsunade glared at him.

"I don't think so, Brat." She said, cracking her knuckles.

"Eh…come on! You can call me: Namikaze-sama, Namikaze-dono, The Greatest and Handsomest Naruto Namikaze…need I go on?" Naruto laughed, and was promptly punched on top of the head by Kakashi. Naruto crumpled to the ground, cradling his wounded head.

"Sorry, Hokage-sama." Kakashi said, and Tsunade gave a victorious smirk.

"That's fine, Kakashi. Now…your mission is…let me see." She said, scanning the scrolls in front of her. She hoisted the 'C' rank mission scroll, and read off it.

"You are to escort an entourage of lords to the Land of Tea…to show them our genuine concern for them. This is a C-rank mission, so you won't be facing any enemy combatants. It's just a simple escort." Tsunade announced, setting down the scroll.

Predictable as ever, Naruto yelled. "WHAT? Why are we stuck with that lame one? Come on! You know I'm strong! Just because I've been gone almost 3 years and I'm still a Genin doesn't mean I can't handle combat! I even learned a new technique last night so I could show it off in combat!" Naruto wailed, and was promptly grabbed around his throat by Sakura.

Sakura squeezed his throat, cutting off his air and promptly shutting him up. "I apologize, Tsunade-sama." She said. Naruto started flailing, but Sakura was too intent on seeing if Tsunade was angry or not to notice the suffocating Shinobi.

"Uh…Sakura." Kakashi murmured, and Sakura looked down at the purple-faced young man she was holding. She gasped, and let him go. He fell to the ground with a loud thump, and massaged his sore neck. He gasped, and Sakura sheepishly ran her hand through her hair. "Oops." She said, and Kakashi smiled slightly.

"Now, Naruto. I can't just send a Genin, A Chunin, and a Jonin into a combat situation when they've been separated for two and a half years. We need to work on building up your teamwork and allow you to get back in the groove of things." Tsunade started, going into lecture mode.

Naruto stood, only to be knocked down onto the ground as the double doors swung open and whacked him on the back of the head. He rubbed the goose-egg on his head, as Shikimaru strode into the room, casual and weary. "Oh…sorry, Naruto." He said, as he noticed the blond shinobi on the ground.

"Eh…it's okay, Shikimaru." Naruto replied, wearily standing.

"I came to report that Temari-san has been safely escorted to the Village gates and his headed back to the Village of Sand." Shikimaru said to Tsunade, bowing.

Tsunade nodded. "You did a good job escorting her around for the past week. Thank you, Shikimaru."

"It was fun, actually…even if it was troublesome at times." Shikimaru admitted, and Naruto raised an eyebrow. Shikimaru admitting something was fun? What was wrong with him?

"Well that's good. Thank you." She said, dismissing him. Naruto patted Shikimaru on the shoulder, a friendly hello of sorts, and then suddenly the door burst open.

The door smacked Naruto and Shikimaru, Naruto in the back of the head and Shikimaru in the face. They fell to the ground, while Naruto screamed, "WHAT THE HELL!? PEOPLE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHEN THEY OPEN THE DOOR!"

The person who slammed open the doors, was the same girl who had run from this room. "Hokage-sama! We've just decoded a message that was sent from Suna! It's top priority!"

Sakura and Kakashi helped Shikimaru and Naruto stand up, and they watched at the young female decoder ninja passed a scroll to Tsunade. Tsunade scanned the document quickly.

"Team Kakashi! I have another assignment for you! This is a Rank A mission!" Tsunade said, authority ringing in her voice.

Everyone looked at her, ready to go and ready for more information. "The Kazekage, Gaara, has been attacked and Kidnapped by the Akatsuki. You are to go and give them backup immediately!"

Shikimaru stiffened. "Hokage-sama! I request permission to accompany Team Kakashi." He said, and Tsunade raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You're volunteering for something? Something _has_ gotten into you, and it's strange. But…I can see no reason why I shouldn't send you. Very well. Team Kakashi, you and Shikimaru are to back up Suna! GO!" Tsunade said, and then she froze.

"Naruto?" She asked, and everyone glanced at the blond Shinobi. His lip was curled back in anger, and a slight hissing sound escaped from between his teeth. His eyes were flickering rapidly between red and blue, and then they settled on the slitted, animalistic red.

"Damn it…" He hissed, his voice raw with emotion. "Damn it, damn it, DAMMIT!" He yelled, and everyone flinched at his…choice vocabulary.

"Naruto…settle down." Kakashi warned, and Naruto snapped his head to his right…and glared at Kakashi.

"Settle down? SETTLE DOWN?" He roared, and Sakura took a step backwards. The raw anger in his voice was almost a physical force, and Shizune and Iruka both took a step backwards. They hadn't seen this side of him up-close before.

"It's ALWAYS Gaara! Why did they go after him first? Why is he always the one to suffer…to get hurt first? He'd suffered so long…and then something good finally happened to him! And now…and now that…and now the Akatsuki destroy it!" He spat, and Sakura noted that his teeth grew more pointed.

She grew stern, not wanting Naruto to lose himself. "Naruto! Pull yourself together, now!" She snapped, and Naruto's blood red eyes snapped to her. They snapped back to blue suddenly, and his hissing died. He shook his head, and Kakashi put a hand gently on his young friend's shoulder.

"Naruto…the more time we waste, the more he gets hurt." Kakashi said simply, and Naruto nodded determinedly. He squared his shoulders, and glanced at Sakura, thankfulness clear in his eyes.

"Fine. Meet me at the gates." Naruto said, and Kakashi gave him a questioning look. Naruto didn't even bat an eyelash as he answered Kakashi's non-verbal question.

"You're going to have trouble keeping up." He said, and then everyone gasped as he disappeared from sight. The only thing left in his wake…was a faint yellow and orange streak that led out of the doorway.

"So that's the technique he learned." Kakashi said, and Sakura gaped open-mouthed.

"He learned his father's speed technique." He murmured, and Tsunade nodded dumbly.

Kakashi snapped into 'leader mode', and ordered his two fellow shinobi in a rough voice. "Let's go. Get what's necessary for a two day trip to Suna, pack light. Go!" He barked, and disappeared with a puff of smoke. Sakura and Shikimaru bolted from the room, rushing to go to their apartments and leaving the Hokage, Shizune, Iruka, and the Decoder Nin in the Assignment room. Iruka turned to Tsunade and spoke softly.

"May the gods have mercy on whoever it is that Naruto faces." She murmured…and Iruka nodded dazedly.

-------------

The dust cleared from Kankuro's puppets, allowing Kankuro to clearly see what had caught his attention. Leaking out of the knife slits, with a soft hiss, was a steady stream of sand. "What? Sand?" Kankuro gasped, and quickly worked his Chakra strings, popping open Kuroari's chest casket. With a groan, the two doors swung outward, revealing its captive.

All of the blades from the disassembled Crow, Karasu, were stabbed into the hunchbacked Akatsuki member. His wounds were not pouring blood, as it should have been, but he was leaking sand. Suddenly, the Akatsuki member changed color, completely tan and composed of sand.

"What? A sand clone?" Kankuro muttered, and spun as he heard movement in the sand behind him.

"What a well orchestrated attack. It's a pity it didn't work." Came the gravelly voice of Sasori, as he rose from underneath the sand.

"What? How is this possible?" Kankuro whispered, and he quickly started manipulating his Chakra strings. Karasu's body parts flung out of Kuroari and sailed towards Sasori. Kuroari's chest slammed closed, and then he stood. Sasori's long metal scorpion tail simply swatted Karasu's body parts away, crushing them with that simple swat.

To Kankuro, his puppets were his life. He would have gladly gone out and partied with the rest of his fellow Ninja…but his puppets took up his time. He cleaned them, made sure that they were completely functional. It was tough to be a puppet master in the Land of the Wind…especially in the Sand Village. The sand would gum up the puppet's joints…so they required careful maintenance. But now…Karasu was as good as gone. His first puppet…the very first, gone. Just with a simple swat. He felt a pang in his heart. It was more than just a ninja and tool bond…to him his puppets were his friends. He had been rejected because of being Gaara's sibling for so long, so he had made friends with the only thing that wouldn't run away from him: his puppets. Kankuro gritted his teeth in anger as his first, and favorite, puppet was smashed.

In a blind rage, he sent Kuroari soaring towards Sasori, shooting poisoned senbon needles from his mouth. Sasori's tail moved at lightning speeds, blocking the senbon with ease. Then…Sasori shattered Kuroari. The scorpion tail drove through the thick wood of Kuroari, shattering it into thousands of pieces. Kankuro yelled in anger as his second puppet was shattered…possibly beyond repair. His third and last puppet was mainly a defensive puppet…with only one or two modes of attack. Kankuro jumped backwards, behind his third and stationary puppet Sanshouuo.

"Hm…" Sasori muttered, and Kankuro quickly manipulated his Chakra strings. A large iron door swung up from Sanshouuo's back, creating a great solid defense. The door was practically invincible against most attacks.

"The strongest puppet…is only as strong as its weakest piece." Sasori instructed with his gravelly voice.

Suddenly, Kankuro watched in amazement as Sasori's metal tail struck with lightning speed. The tail pierced the weakest and only vulnerable spot on Sanshouuo…the hinge that the iron door swung up on. Kankuro watched as the iron door flipped through the air, and then came crashing back down and disabling Sanshouuo.

"H-how? How can you know their weaknesses so well?" Kankuro asked, as Sasori's tail lazily withdrew back to its owner. It poised above him…the perfect picture of a predator waiting on its helpless prey to simply give up before it struck again.

Sasori's gravelly voice chuckled. "Seeing as you have no hope to beat me now, young puppeteer, I'll tell you." His shoulders shook as he laughed. Kankuro gritted his teeth in anger.

"You see, I built these puppets. Not just built them, though. I made them, along with a large amount of others, and made them all myself and fought with them first. They were mine…a long time ago. But, I'm at least a little content that they were passed down to such a talented puppeteer." Sasori laughed, and Kankuro's jaw fell open.

"No! You…y-you're Sasori of the Red Sands? You're the creator of the Battle Puppets…and the Sand traitor from twenty years ago!?" Kankuro yelled, completely in shock. The creator…Kankuro's idol…had just destroyed three of the best puppets ever made.

"Exactly." Sasori said simply. Kankuro let his hand fall slack to his side…but his mind was racing.

"Now…since you didn't disappoint me with making me to wait to fight, I won't make you wait either." Sasori said, and struck.

Kankuro, while he never really was without his puppets, had trained in hand to hand. He was prepared for this scenario slightly, though he did not ever think it would actually happen. Sasori's tail darted straight for Kankuro's chest, and Kankuro dodged it with ease, which surprised both of them. Sasori's tail slammed hard into the sand where Kankuro had been standing, and Kankuro followed his instincts. He jumped onto the tail, using his Chakra to make sure he would stick, and ran up the length of the shiny metal. He quickly withdrew a single kunai and four shuriken as he ran up the tail.

He felt Sasori begin to quickly move his tail, so he used it as a springboard to jump off towards Sasori's unprotected left flank. As soon as he had, he flung the four Shuriken at the Akatsuki member. Sasori's tail wasn't fast enough, and the shuriken buried deeply into the Akatsuki member, but Sasori didn't react. His tail switched from defensive, to offensive. It struck at Kankuro again, who deftly evaded it and darted in for the kill. He slammed his Kunai home into Sasori's chest, much to both of their surprise. Kankuro was surprised that he was moving so well and fighting so well in close combat, and he was even more surprised when Sasori just stood there, motionless.

"That was unexpected." Sasori laughed, and then used Kankuro's surprise against him. The kunai and shuriken having not affected Sasori made Kankuro freeze, and then Sasori's tail stabbed out. It pierced lightly into Kankuro's chest, even as he tried too late to jump back.

Kankuro caught the glint of a purple liquid on the tip of the tail…and knew immediately what happened even as he felt himself immediately go numb all over. "P-poison?" Kankuro asked.

"Yes. It's my own unique poison, one that has no antidote. It induces paralysis quickly at first, but then attacks the nerves and makes the victim die slowly and eventually make them stop breathing…due to lung paralysis." He boasted, and then turned away to leave. Kankuro had no mobility really…but he strained anyway.

He had only one hope, and he tried it. He twitched his first finger, sending one last remaining piece of Karasu at Sasori. Sasori saw it coming just in time, and moved his head slightly. Karasu's hand-blade sliced a portion off of Sasori's facemask, and Sasori laughed. "That's all? Heh. Fine. Thanks for the playtime."

Then, slowly…the hunchback walked off, and his tail folded back inside of his cloak. He left a visible trail, like a slug, and with shuffling sounds…left Kankuro to die in the bright sun-lit desert.

Kankuro muttered to himself, not able to think of any fitting last words. "Damnit." Then…he passed out.

Naruto had went to his apartment first, grabbing a large supply of kunai and shuriken, and packing for a journey to sand. Then, with his newly acquired move, burst across town in a few seconds flat…nothing but an orange streak across the Konoha city sky.

He entered his father's apartment hastily, leaving the door open behind him, and ran to the bedroom. He then entered the study, and quickly sorted through the books for the one he was looking for. He found the small notebook, stuffed it in his backpack, and then back to the bedroom. He had found something earlier that he hoped would make a lasting impression on Akatsuki, not knowing that it would be sooner than he anticipated.

He ran to the bed, and then to the right of it the closet. He ran to the closet, slid open the door, and grabbed several items. He tossed them on the bed, withdrew a summoning scroll from his backpack, and opened the scroll. He tossed the items on the middle of the scroll, and then quickly wrote the formula. Jiraiya had taught him well over the past few years.

With a puff of smoke, the items were sealed within the scroll, and Naruto rolled up said item and stuffed it back in his backpack. He ran to the bedroom door, ready to leave, but froze. He looked back at the crib, his old crib that had probably been used only once or twice before he had the fox sealed inside of him, and wondered if this would be the last time he saw this place.

He shifted his back, set his jaw, and walked over to the door. He then grabbed the picture of his mother and father together, straight off the wall and stuffed it into his backpack. He wouldn't let that picture go…ever. He then exited the apartment…and shut the door behind him. As soon as the knob clicked, Naruto was gone in a flash of orange.

---------------------------------

Naruto was pacing by the front gate, back and forth between the giant doors. Kotetsu and Izumo were watching with wary expressions, unsure of why the hyperactive blond shinobi was so impatient. Izumo chewed thoughtfully on his senbon, while Kotetsu stroked his chin. Suddenly, Naruto snapped his head around, facing the village.

Kakashi appeared suddenly, having moved as fast as he possibly could to get to the gate to make sure Naruto didn't behave rashly and bolt off. Kakashi panted slightly, and Naruto inclined his head to his mentor. "Kakashi-sensei." He said grimly.

Kakashi inclined his head back. "Naruto." He then turned around as he sensed a familiar presence. Naruto turned to the source as well, and both were surprised to see Jiraiya walking up to them, accompanied by Tsunade and Iruka.

"Off to Suna, Naruto?" Jiraiya called.

"Yeah, Pervy Sage!" Naruto called back.

They waited for the two Sannin and Iruka to draw closer before Kakashi spoke. "So…come to see us off, Tsunade-sama?" He asked, and she nodded grimly.

Jiraiya walked close to Naruto, stopping a fingers-breadth away from his pupil. "Naruto…think before you act. I realize this will be hard for you, especially with Gaara's situation. But do _not_ rush in blindly. You know how powerful the Akatsuki are…but whatever you do, don't use _that_ Jutsu. You understand me?" He murmured.

Naruto clenched his jaw. "I understand." He said, and then watched as Jiraiya approached Kakashi. Tsunade and Jiraiya motioned for Naruto to come over to them, and he obeyed.

While Tsunade and Iruka quickly wished Naruto good luck, and for him to be careful, Jiraiya handed Kakashi a paper-seal discretely. "Whatever you do…should Naruto go feral…slap this on him _before_ he gets to the second tail. It's hard for him to maintain control at two…so it's pertinent you get it on before or as the second tail forms." He murmured, and Kakashi nodded. Just like Guy had done last night.

They separated and looked towards Naruto, who hugged Iruka and Tsunade. They wished him luck, and then turned as Sakura and Shikimaru landed right by them…having jumped off of the rooftops. Sakura and Shikimaru didn't let a stray emotion out, but looked composed and ready as they walked up to Kakashi.

Kakashi inclined his head to them, and they to him, and they all turned to Tsunade. "You four be careful. Get to Suna safely, get a grasp on the situation, and then help out how you can. And…" She paused and looked at Naruto. "Don't act rashly." She ordered, and they all nodded.

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" They all barked out, and jumped off to the tree-line.

Naruto gritted his teeth, and felt his vision flicker. He knew his eyes were red, the fox power reacting to his anger. "Don't worry Gaara. I'm coming." He rasped, and took point…desperate to reach his friend.

That's the end of this chapter. I apologize for sticking so much to the Kankuro and Sasori battle…but I couldn't think of anything to spice it up. I debated allowing Kankuro a new move…but either way he would have lost. But I hope that throwing Shika into the mix with Team Kakashi will suffice for alteration to the story line. I apologize for the late update, again, but you'll be getting them like every other or every 2 or 3 weeks…I'm way behind in school. I'm trying desperately to catch up, but with 2 jobs and then school as soon as I get home, you're not going to get too many rapid updates. I apologize, but I appreciate your understanding. The next chapter will be a surprise. But…I'll only give you a brief hint to keep you coming for more.

"You'll be coming with me…Naruto-kun." 

Those of you who can easily figure that out, which I suspect is a lot of you, that should be sufficient to make ya'll flock to this next chapter! Heck…I love the guy who says this, regardless of how evil he is. HE'S FRICKIN AWESOME! BTW…it's gonna be one LONG chapter, I think. :D


	8. Chapter 8

Lost in the Green Seas

A/N: First off, I decided to not make this chapter as long as I originally planned. It is going to move fast between different characters and times, flashing from person to person and place to place in order to keep you updated on all frontiers. Bear with me please, and enjoy!

Lost in the Green Seas

CHAPTER 8: Confrontations

OUTSIDE OF SUNAGAKURE:

Five pairs of feet landed next to the battered remains of wooden puppets and a black-clad Jonin. "Kankuro!"

Kankuro, unable to open his eyes, hissed out, "Karasu's arm. Get it." Then he slipped once more into unconsciousness. That arm…was vital, whether the ANBU that had found him realized it or not. It would lead to Gaara's rescue, one that Kankuro hoped he would live to see.

Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura, and Shikimaru were still traveling…mainly alongside of the main road going out of Konoha and going to Suna. The more they kept to the main roads, the faster it would go. They were going fast, due to Naruto's grueling pace that he had set. He was not even using the speed technique, and he was still faster than they were.

Kakashi, for the tenth time, yelled up to Naruto. "Naruto! Slow down! Not all of us have your abilities or stamina!"

Naruto didn't give any sign that he heard, except for a slight slow-down in his pace. Shikimaru sighed. Troublesome. He glanced off to the side, towards the road and let his thoughts wander. He froze when he saw a lone traveler on the road, her four golden pigtails shining in the light. His hesitation came at the worst moment…right when he was supposed to land and push off with his right leg. The tree branch hit him between the legs…_hard_.

With a girly cry, Shikimaru froze…attached to the tree branch. The traveler on the road reacted by pulling out her fan that was attached to her back and preparing for an attack…while Sakura and Kakashi and Naruto stopped as soon as they landed on a tree-branch. They looked back, and Kakashi and Naruto simultaneously winced.

"Ooohhh…ouch." They said, and all three of them jumped back to Shikimaru. Unfortunately, Shikimaru finally sagged in pain…and fell off the tree branch. He hit the forest floor hard, and rolled out onto the open road, gasping for air.

Temari of the Sand, recognizing the Chunin as soon as he rolled into sight, snapped her fan back into place and ran up to him. "Shikamaru-kun?" She cried, oblivious to the three ninja in the trees. Their eyes went wide at Temari's addressing of Shikamaru, and they jumped out of the trees and into the road.

Temari looked up, blushed, and lowered her head as she knelt next to her…boyfriend. "Shikamaru…are you okay?" She asked, and put a hand on his forehead. Despite her gruff exterior, she could be an attentive and touching female when the situation called for it.

"Hit…tree…your…fault!" He gasped out, and groaned in pain. He put his hands against his injured...part…and rolled over. She blushed as she realized what he meant.

"Oh…" She murmured, and Kakashi and Naruto laughed, but had a bit of sympathy for the man.

"Shikamaru, oh man, _she_ distracted you? Wow…you must really be love-struck." Naruto laughed, only to have Sakura club him over the head and make him fall face-first into the dirt.

Kakashi knelt by Shikamaru, while Temari sat dumbfounded next to her boy. "Uh…Shikimaru…I can help." He muttered, but Shikamaru was unresponsive. He was too busy gasping for air.

"I'm so sorry, Shikimaru…" Temari whispered, embarrassed and hesitant.

"It's…fine." He gasped, and then decided to go for a tacky romantic and really cliché saying. "You…take the breath…right out…of me." He gasped, and Temari blushed. It was too late to deny they were attached, what with her addressing him by the '-Kun' and the way she had said it.

"You're hopeless." She murmured, and made a few hand-seals. Her hands glowed green and she put them on Shikimaru's stomach. Immediately, the pain receded, and Shikamaru rolled onto his back, looking up at her.

"Thanks." He gasped, and wiped some of the sweat off his brow. A pain-reduction Jutsu…very useful. "I was so surprised that you were here. I expected you to be well on your way…and not taking your time."

Kakashi helped Temari with Shikimaru, and soon everyone was standing around. "We need to get going." Naruto said with impatience, as he quickly remembered their purpose.

"Temari…Gaara's been kidnapped by Akatsuki. We're headed there now." Kakashi informed the wind-user, whose eyes widened and body stiffened. She froze, and Kakashi gave her a sympathetic look.

"We need to go now if we hope to catch up with Akatsuki before they kill Gaara." Kakashi said, and Temari nodded. Her body relaxed a bit…but they could tell she was still tense.

"All right. Let's move!" Naruto growled, and everyone watched as he jumped back into the trees. He was definitely agitated…and he couldn't seem to set a stable pace.

"No, Naruto. I'll be point." Kakashi yelled, voice calm and stern.

Naruto sighed as everyone jumped into the trees, Kakashi in the lead. Naruto fell back next to Sakura, in front of Shikamaru and Temari, while Kakashi took lead and set a stable pace. As they jumped from tree to tree, Sakura watched Naruto worriedly. He was obviously angry…and definitely desperate to reach Suna faster than humanly possible.

"Naruto…" Sakura whispered.

Naruto didn't look at her, but with a gruff voice, he answered her. "Yes, Sakura-chan?"

"Gaara…was kidnapped by Akatsuki, right? Why?" She asked, and Naruto spared her a glance as he leapt off a tree-branch.

"Because he carries a demon inside of him, just like I do. I carry the Kyuubi, the strongest of the demons…the nine-tailed fox. He carries Shukaku, a wind-spirit…and the 'weakest' of all the demons. He is Ichibi…the one-tail. Akatsuki's goal is to capture all of the demons, and that even means capturing the host who has the demon imprisoned inside of them. Akatsuki finally made their move on Gaara, it seems, and they've captured him to end up capturing Shukaku." Naruto explained, and Sakura nodded.

"And...Orochimaru used to be in Akatsuki?" Sakura asked, trying to piece everything together.

"Yes. That's what Jiraiya told me. However…he fled Akatsuki, after he tried to take over Itachi Uchiha's body. He wanted the Sharingan, and tried to take over Itachi. Itachi fought back, severing Orochimaru's hand, and won quite easily. Itachi was way too powerful for even Orochimaru." Naruto said, and Sakura nodded slowly.

"I see…" Sakura said, and clenched her own fist at the thought. Then, the memory of her dream that she had had of Sasuke and Naruto held captive by Orochimaru exploded into her mind's eye. She flinched, and almost missed the next tree branch she needed to use as a springboard. Her footing was loose, unprepared for the dream to explode into her mind so suddenly. As soon as her foot touched the bark, it slipped, and she stumbled slightly. She managed to push off…but not strong enough. She faltered less than five feet into the air, and started to fall. She was still too startled to cry out, but Shikimaru and Temari cried out.

Naruto grabbed for Sakura, succeeding in grabbing her hand. He yanked her to him, covering her with his body, as they both descended into the path of a large tree branch that couldn't be avoided.

Suddenly a Naruto appeared on top of the large tree branch, and grabbed the two Shinobi hurling towards him. He used their momentum to bowl him over, but also to push them off of him and higher into the air as he detonated into nothingness. Naruto calmly regained his pace as his foot connected with a tree branch, and Sakura regained her pace as well.

Kakashi sighed in relief, as did Temari and Shikimaru. "That was close." Naruto muttered, his blue eyes locked on Sakura. She was out of his arms and jumping next to him, a little shaken.

"Are you okay, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, and she nodded.

"Y-yeah…I just lost it for a moment." She stammered. She didn't know why she was lying…but she was.

"Okay…but be careful." He cautioned warmly, and she smiled at him.

"Of course." She said, and blushed at the look in his eyes.

Shikimaru and Temari grinned at each other when they saw his look, and Temari called for Sakura. "Hey, Sakura, why don't you come back here, and Shika will go up with Naruto?" She called, and Sakura shrugged. Temari grinned, as did Shikimaru. They would definitely have some things to talk about on their way to Suna.

Baki rushed to the squad as soon as they exited the newly cleared entrance to Suna, and joined beside them. He looked at the man they had on their shoulders, on a stretcher, who was shaking slightly, and rasping heavily.

"Kankuro!" Baki yelled, desperate for a reaction.

"He's been unconscious for the whole time…the only time he spoke was to order us to get this." One ANBU said, presenting Karasu's arm. Baki seized it immediately, and knew what lay in it. A strip of one of the Akatsuki's clothing.

"Good. Get him to the hospital faster! Go!" Baki ordered, and the ANBU increased their speed.

Baki stood in the doorway of the emergency room that Kankuro lay in. He was stripped of his shirt, his face paint and headgear was gone, and all he wore was his black pants. There was a gash in the center of his chest, one that the medic-nin had treated. However…they had found something troubling, and consulted Baki by the door.

"Baki-sama…I apologize." He muttered, and Baki's stomach dropped.

"What?" He asked, anxious to hear what was wrong.

"We've tried all of our antidotes…but Kankuro's wound was infected with poison, and none of our antidotes have worked. It is resilient to all of our efforts…and we know of no other cure." The head medic Nin whispered.

Baki stiffened, and glanced at the shaking Jonin on the medical table. Nurses were doing their best for him, but as the doctor said…there were no cures.

"Fine. I'll find someone who can help." Baki said, turning away and walking down the hall.

'_It seems…it's time for me to visit The Siblings…'_ Baki thought darkly, his single eye squinting in trepidation.

Baki was ascending a carved mountain path, as the sandy winds buffeted his body. He was ascending to the mountain retreat of the Sand Siblings…a large and empty dwelling place well on the outskirts of Suna, unprotected by its walls.

Above him, impossibly moving against the wind, was a small tan mechanical bird. It soared steadily through the violent winds and went towards a small dark window. It flew through, and quickly descended towards a perch that stood a little ways away from a large circular green pool. At opposite ends of the pool, were two figures holding large fishing rods that dipped into the pool. It was still and silent, with only the wind's distant howl reaching their ears. However, one of the figures stirred.

An old man, with a long, sagging face, and large white eyebrows that over-shadowed his eyes, raised his head slightly. Age spots and wrinkles covered his face, but his bald head was covered by a round white cap. His croaky old voice echoed as he spoke.

"Sister…it seems we have a visitor." He said, and he shifted under the large white robe he wore. It made him look like a large white lump, since nothing but his head showed.

The figure that was on the opposite side of the pool, his sister, didn't move. She wore a similar robe to her brother, except her robe was black. Her grey hair was pulled back and tied behind her headband, but her bangs went over her eyes, shadowing them for the moment. She made no move…but slowly, her grasp lessened on the fishing pole.

The brother could sense it…and immediately feared the worst. "Sister?" He asked, his voice quivering. Could she finally have passed on?

The fishing pole slipped from her hands, and slowly made its descent towards the clear surface of the pool. Ebizou, the brother, asked again, fearful. "Sister?"

Suddenly, right before the fishing pole could make contact with the water, Chiyo, the old woman acted. She snapped the rod, twirling it so that the hook narrowly missed Ebizou, and cackled. "Hahaha. Gotcha! I was just playing dead!" She laughed, and Ebizou smiled and sighed.

"Did you hear me though? We have a visitor." He said, and Chiyo nodded. She stood, laying down her pole beside her, and turned.

"Baki. It's been a while. To what do we owe this…surprise?" She asked, carefully choosing her words. Baki, who had just entered, was surprised.

He quickly recovered, and bowed his head slightly. "Gaara…our Kazekage, has been kidnapped. His brother, the puppet-master Kankuro, went after the kidnappers…the Akatsuki. We found him poisoned…and we can't find any cures for it. We need you." Baki explained, and Chiyo scoffed.

"Hah. I see no need for me. Besides, I'm retired, remember? And also…all I want to do is see my grandson." She said, waving at him to dismiss him.

"Well that's good. I talked with Kankuro, and he was barely able to tell me…that your Grandson was one of the attacking Akatsuki. If you manage to help Kankuro…who knows? You might get to see him again." Baki said, turning to leave.

Chiyo froze. Her blood ran cold, and she whispered, "Wait, Baki."

He did wait, and Chiyo motioned for Ebizou. "Come Brother. Let us go." She said, and her brother stood. His eyes, unable to be seen in the shadows of his eyebrows, gave away no reaction to Baki's news. However, he sighed. "Very well, sister. I'll get ready."

He turned, and Chiyo murmured, "Stay here, Baki. We will be prepared shortly." She then left, with her brother, to fetch their things. Baki, left alone, sighed. That went better than he had hoped for.

--

It was the start of evening when the conversation between the traveling Team 7, accompanied by Shikimaru and Temari, turned to Gaara. They had tried to stay clear of it, because of the emotional impact on Naruto and Temari…but Temari had been the one to bring up her brother. Naruto was the leader again, choosing paths that turned out to be faster than what Kakashi had anticipated. However, he could still hear and take part in any conversation if he so wished.

Temari was amazed at how hard Naruto was pushing them…it was even harder than she would push them…and she was Gaara's sibling! "Why is it that he's trying so hard?" Temari asked Sakura, Kakashi, and Shikamaru. Each of them looked at her for a moment, and as they continued to jump from tree branch to tree branch…Kakashi answered.

"Honestly…I think I have an idea, but I won't bother trying to guess and then getting it wrong. You should ask Naruto." He said, gesturing to their hard-pushing comrade.

Naruto didn't glance back. He was afraid if he did…they would think he was weak. Tears were growing in his eyes as he thought of his answer…and he tried to keep his voice steady as he spoke loud enough for Temari to hear.

"When I grew up…I was hated. I was abandoned, beaten, and constantly ignored. I had no one precious…until I met Iruka-sensei. You see…I was feared as well as despised. Gaara and I are the same in that aspect. We're both Demon Hosts…Jinchuriki. We've been hated because we carry the Demons…but unlike me, Gaara never had anyone precious. As my precious people slowly grew from one, to four, to nine, and so on…Gaara was still alone. He had no love or precious people, when I DID. Now…he finally has something good going for him, and Akatsuki comes and takes him away. I'm going to help him…do whatever it takes…to make sure he comes out alive. I can't bear to let him hurt anymore…when I've had it so good compared to him." Naruto said, and everyone was silent…contemplating Naruto's answer.

Temari, the closest one to Naruto, was startled when she felt something warm and wet splash onto her cheek. She felt another one, and realized what it was. They were Naruto's tears. He was crying for Gaara.

Fighting back tears of her own, Temari thought thankfully, '_Thank you…Naruto Uzumaki.'_

--

It was well past midnight…when Chiyo gave up. She was exhausted. She had tried every antidote known to her…and tried experimenting with new ones. Nothing worked. She could not even properly withdraw the poison. All of her special treatments and techniques failed…she had done everything in her power! However, nothing was working.

The old woman cursed, pounding the table. "Baki, there is nothing I can do. This poison is new, and totally unaffected by my antidotes and cures. I'm sorry." She said, turning to the one-eyed man. Baki gritted his teeth in anger.

"Konoha hopefully has dispatched backup by now…and let us hope they have a highly-skilled medic Ninja. If they don't…Kankuro is doomed." Baki said, and strode out of the room.

Ebizou set a hand on his sibling's shoulder, and she sighed. "Konoha…is assisting Suna? With our luck…they'll send someone of poor talent." Chiyo commented bitterly.

"Still holding a grudge…" Ebizou murmured softly, and Chiyo slowly walked out of the door.

Ebizou glanced at the wounded puppet master, who was shaking on the medical table. He then glanced up at the ceiling, actually glancing past it in his mind. "Forgive her…it's still so very hard for her." He murmured, and then went to try to make the puppeteer as comfortable as possible.

--

It was mid-afternoon the next day, when Tsunade was 'doing paperwork' at her desk. In all actuality, she was drinking Sake…to relieve the stress she was feeling. Sending Team Kakashi, with Shikimaru, was stressful. Every time in the past when she had sent them on missions, Naruto had blundered and caused intense property damage or made things worse. Kakashi had to often fix things up…and suffer Tsunade's long-winded scolding.

However…she was also uncomfortably nervous for some reason. Things weren't sitting well with her at all. Her mind was constantly drawn back to Team Kakashi…and she had a feeling things weren't right. She reached for her cup of Sake…and suddenly it cracked.

She froze, eyes going wide. An omen! A very _bad_ omen. Or it could be coincidence. Tsunade had a proving test…and quickly reached down to one of her desk drawers and opened it. Lying there was the newspaper and a ticket. Her lottery ticket, and…the announcement of the lucky winner of the large lottery. She grabbed the newspaper, and quickly scanned for her ticket number.

She bolted from her chair as soon as she saw what she needed. She ran around her desk, out of the office door, and grabbed Shizune. Still sitting on Tsunade's desk was a lottery ticket that had won Tsunade 5,000,000 Ryo.

With her luck in winning things, which was normally horrible luck, this had to mean that things were going to get REALLY bad. If Tsunade, the Legendary Sucker, won…you could bet things were gonna get hectic.

--

"Lady Tsunade…we don't have very many highly skilled teams here at the moment. Most are gone out on missions…but we do have one team that could help. They just got back, so I called them in." Shizune was explaining, as she walked with Tsunade down the long hallway. She was taking Tsunade to the room in which the team waited.

Tsunade nodded. "Good. We need to back up Team Kakashi fast." She said, for the tenth time. Shizune saw they were there, and said, "Okay. Here."

Tsunade turned to a door on the right, while Shizune turned to a door on the left. Tsunade slammed open the door and yelled, "Alright! I have an A-Ranked Mission for you!"

Standing in front of her…was the Konohamaru Genin Corps. Ebisu, their Jonin leader, freaked out. "W-w-what!? A-RANK? FOR US? WHAT?" He screamed, mouth dropping to the floor.

Konohamaru burst out in a triumphant dance. "OH YEAH! FINALLY MY SKILLS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED!! Ahahaha!" He laughed, while Moegi and Udon stared with wide-eyes at their Hokage.

"Uh…Madame Hokage? The team is over here." Shizune called, and Tsunade sighed.

"Sorry. Wrong team." She said, and turned around, shutting the door behind her.

Konohamaru froze…while Ebisu sighed in relief. "It was just a mistake…thank the gods. To think, I actually thought they would assign us to an A-Rank mission! Hah!"

Konohamaru punched his teacher. "YOU JINXED US, YOU IDIOT! IT'S YOUR FAULT!"

--

Team Kakashi, along with Shikimaru and Temari, stopped once they reached the entrance of Sunagakure. Seven ANBU, katana drawn, guarded the opening. "Halt!" One cried, and the ninja complied. They wore the traditional ANBU mask, but they wore tan cloaks that blended in with the sand.

Temari strode forward. "We don't have time to 'halt' you idiot!" She yelled, glaring at the ANBU.

One of them recognized her. "That's Kazekage-sama's sister, Temari!"

The ANBU slowly lowered their Katana. "Temari-san…apologies!"

She waved off the apologies. "Konoha dispatched this team, and they escorted me here. They've told me of Gaara being kidnapped. What's the progress so far?" She asked, and one of the Anbu stepped forward.

"Kankuro went after Gaara alone. We found him yesterday afternoon…he's in the hospital now. He was poisoned, but they say that they can't find any antidotes that work…and the poison is difficult to extract. As for progress on Gaara, we have several ANBU patrols trying to track the Akatsuki…but so far we have had no luck." He reported, and Temari froze at the mention of Kankuro.

"What? Take me to Kankuro…quickly!" Temari yelled.

The ANBU nodded, and bowed. "Follow me, please." He said, and started to run towards the entrance of the village. Temari, Naruto, Kakashi, Shikamaru, and Sakura followed as the ANBU led them through the large Canyon that was Sunagakure's entrance. The ANBU could have gone faster…but he was keeping the pace at their level.

"Once at the hospital…we can find the officials to help you do your task." Temari called back, and Kakashi nodded.

They rocketed through Suna, jumping on rooftops and over streets, at a pace that was fast…yet easier than anything Naruto had set. He had only let them rest a few times, and the times that they had rested was only for an hour or two at the most. Naruto's red eyes and thick whisker marks had faded…but it was easy to tell the blond was angry and agitated.

They reached the large hospital, and the only thing that distinguished it from the surrounding tall tan buildings was the fact that it had big red letters on the side that said 'HOSPITAL'. Team 7, and Shikamaru and Temari, landed in front of the building. The ANBU bowed deeply. "I must return to my post. He's on the third floor, in the intensive care unit. Baki should be here still." He said, and they bowed in thanks. He bowed back, and then jumped away, leaving Team 7 to follow Temari into the large glass double doors of the hospital.

She strode purposefully to the entrance, yanking open the glass door, and stepped on the white tiled floor. Immediately, the smell of cleaners and anti-septic assaulted their noses, but they still followed the fierce Desert Kunoichi. Their sandals made sharp noises as they strode across the near-empty lobby. Chairs decorated the large entrance, but they moved straight to a desk that was set beside large double-swinging metal doors. Sitting at the desk was an assistant wearing scrubs, and she looked up. Her brown hair was pulled back in a pony-tail, and her light skin seemed to shine in the fluorescent lighting.

"Temari-san?" She asked, standing up. Temari nodded, and the assistant instantly went to the doors and pushed them open. Naruto glanced around at the hospital. For being in such a sandy place…it was incredibly clean. The white and light blue walls were clean and gave the place a feeling of peace...and would have calmed Naruto had he not been thinking of Gaara.

"Yes. Which room is he in?" She asked, and the assistant hesitated for a moment. "I believe it's room 309." She said, and Temari nodded. Temari strode past the double doors, Team 7 and her boyfriend following in her wake, straight past several scurrying nurses and to the left, where several elevators decorated the wall.

Temari walked up to one and pushed the button, and Team 7 impatiently waited for the elevator, anxious to see the injured Kankuro.

Baki gave a start as he saw Temari running down the hall towards him. He was sitting on the bench outside of Kankuro's room, unable to think of what he should be doing at the moment. He bolted to his feet, his gruff face showing relief. "Temari!" He called, and the girl ran up to him and wrapped him in an embrace.

Since the death of their Father, the Kazekage, all those years ago…Baki had actually been more of a father than theirs ever had. Sure sometimes he could be tough…but that was good. He was a tough man, one who did his best for the three sand Shinobi.

"Baki…" Temari murmured, fighting back tears. As soon as she had seen the despondent man, she knew how bad it was. Kankuro was in bad shape if Baki was openly worried. Baki hardly ever showed concern or emotions…except when it was serious.

"Temari…you're back. Did Konoha…?" He started to ask, but trailed off as he saw Kakashi leading Sakura, Naruto, and Shikamaru down the hallway towards them. Baki sighed in relief when he noticed Sakura.

"I knew Konoha wouldn't let us down." Baki sighed out, and Temari glanced back at who he was looking at. She realized who he was talking about, and she smiled.

"Yes…I was particularly happy myself when I realized that Kakashi's team would be here for us. Especially her." Temari said, and then grew silent as Team 7 drew close. Baki then noticed Shikamaru…and raised an eyebrow.

Shikimaru bowed to Baki, much to everyone's surprise, and greeted the Jonin. "Baki-sama." He said, and Baki let a small smirk show on his hard features. Baki inclined his head slightly.

"Shikamaru. So you were assigned as well?" He asked, and Shikamaru shrugged lazily. "Eh…I kinda volunteered. Rather Troublesome." He sighed, and Baki raised his eyebrow in surprise.

"I see. But enough chit-chat. Sakura…we need your expertise." Baki said, and turned to the doorway. Sakura, Baki, and Temari strode into the room, followed by Kakashi and Naruto and Shikamaru.

Chiyo and Ebizou turned away from Kankuro, to see who it was Baki had just brought into the room. She stiffened when she saw the Leaf Headbands…and then she went absolutely rigid when she saw Kakashi enter the room. Her eyes widened, and she gasped out, "Y-YOU!"

Kakashi cocked his head and said, "Huh?"

Chiyo ran towards him, yelling, "You'll pay for my family's death…you Bastard White Fang of Konoha!" She screamed, her old voice screeching as she jumped into the air to assault Kakashi. Kakashi's eye widened as she flew at him, and he thought, _'I can't hit an old lady!'_

Shikimaru and Kakashi were surprised when Naruto jumped in front of Kakashi and took a kick to the gut. He disappeared in a puff of smoke, and then two more Naruto's quickly subdued the old lady. Everyone froze when Baki yelled, "ENOUGH!"

Naruto's lip drew up in a silent snarl. "What's your problem, old Hag? We came to help…why are you attacking Kakashi-sensei?" He rasped, and Ebizou walked forward.

Naruto released the old Lady, and his clone disappeared. Ebizou spoke. "Sister…that's not the White Fang of Konoha. First off, he's too young. He resembles the man greatly, but he's far too young. He would be just slightly younger than us were he actually the White fang…and he died years and years ago." He said softly, and Chiyo lowered her head, shadows obscuring her face.

Then, she whipped her head up, a grin on her face. "GOTCHA! I was playing Senile!" She cackled, and Kakashi laughed nervously. Naruto sweat-dropped, while Shikamaru looked at her in disbelief.

Chiyo turned to Temari and Sakura, who were at Kankuro's side. Temari softly ran a hand over her brother's face that was contorted in pain…and she let a small tear run down her cheek. "What's wrong?" She whispered.

"We are unable to draw out the poison…and we have no working antidote. I've scrounged up every available kind to analyze it and see the poison's make-up to see it's weakness…but I've been unable to find any." Chiyo sighed, and Sakura's eyes hardened.

"You haven't even drawn out the poison?" She hissed, and Chiyo took a step back at the look in the young woman's eyes. The look…was familiar.

Sakura turned to Baki and Temari. "Is it alright if I try?" She asked, and Baki smiled. "I was going to request it. I look forward to seeing Konoha's Healing Blossom in action." He said, and Sakura gave him a smile.

Chiyo gasped. "Y-you're the Healing Blossom? The Apprentice to that vile SLUG PRINCESS?" Chiyo choked out, and Sakura quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama is my master…and you're lucky I'm here. Now…I'm going to need the following supplies…" She paused, and fired off a quick list. Naruto, Shikamaru, Baki, Kakashi, and Ebizou all strode to the door, knowing their was nothing they could do…except get in the way.

They all sat on the benches outside the room, and Naruto watched with warm affection as he saw Sakura pull her hair back and get ready to go into 'professional mode'. He smiled softly, and Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle at the love-struck shinobi.

Naruto glanced at Kakashi, the smile still on his lips. Then…his smile faded. "Kakashi-sensei…I have a question." He said, and everyone looked at Naruto.

"Yes, Naruto?" He asked, and Naruto scratched his head.

"Uh…the White Fang. That name sounded really familiar. Why did the old Hag call you that? Who was he?" Naruto asked, and Kakashi laughed nervously. He scratched his head, and Baki and Ebizou sat back to listen to Kakashi's explanation.

"Well, the White Fang of Konoha was many things. He was a great warrior, a skilled shinobi…but the most important things is: he was my father." Kakashi said, and Naruto remembered immediately the explanation of Kakashi's history from his father's journal.

Ebizou sat forward as he heard Kakashi's claim, and Baki's visible eye widened. Naruto remembered all the information from his father's journal, regarding Kakashi's past and he sank back against the bench, silent and contemplative. Shikimaru raised an eyebrow, and he sank back into the bench as well…eager to relax. After all, even him volunteering for this mission wouldn't change what this mission was: Troublesome.

Sakura finished brushing her hair, sighing contentedly. She was tired after a very long day of healing Kankuro. She had been able to withdraw all of the poison from Kankuro's body, and she had started to analyze the poison for an antidote, should they come up against the poison in a battle against that particular Akatsuki member. It had taken her long hours of concentration, Chakra Manipulation, and a very large amount of her medical knowledge. Needless to say, all those years training with Tsunade had paid off big time.

Kakashi, Shikamaru, and Naruto had gotten their assignment, which was to track down and save the Kazekage. But tonight, Kakashi had sent Pakkun to track the Akatsuki so they could rest and not waste energy. So they had been given accommodations in a hotel, which she was currently in. She had just taken a shower, and gotten into a clean (but identical to her previous pair) set of clothes. However, instead of wearing her 'overskirt' and elbow pads, she was without them. She also tied her Headband around her left arm, while tying her hair back with a soft red ribbon. Naruto had offered to treat her to dinner, so she wouldn't have to put up with rations for tonight. She also put on two small hanging earrings, ones that resembled Cherry Blossoms. She smiled at her image in the mirror, content that while she remained combat ready…she was extremely pretty.

She turned as she heard knocking at her door, and hastily spritzed a small bit of flowery perfume on, and then walked to the door. She unlocked the locks, and opened the door, to find Naruto Uzumaki standing in front of her…without his orange and black Jumpsuit. Her eyes widened as she saw that he was dressed in black slacks, a light blue long-sleeved shirt with the first button undone, and he was without his headband. Sakura suddenly felt way underdressed, and was about to tell him that she was almost done (so she could hastily wear something better), when he pulled her towards him and hugged her.

He chuckled as she gasped in surprised, and she could feel the vibrations as their chests were pressed together. She blushed as he spoke in her ear softly. "This isn't just a date, Sakura-chan. It's a congratulatory supper, for doing so well with Kankuro. You were fantastic." He murmured, and she separated from his hug.

"Well…thank you, Naruto." She said, and smiled at him. He grinned widely back, and held his hand out for her to take. She did, and she realized how unorthodox this was. Two teenager ninja, on an 'A' rank mission…going on a date. But, she wasn't complaining. She wanted to be here with Naruto, heck…she wanted to be _anywhere_ with Naruto, but especially here. She knew that it would be a rough night if she hadn't accepted the offer of a date, for both of them. Mainly for Naruto, because she had a feeling he wouldn't be able to sleep…he'd be up obsessing over Gaara, and then he might do something stupid like try to find Gaara himself. It would have been rough for her, because she would have been worried sick abut him doing something foolish. But this was a happy medium, where they could keep each other satisfied…until tomorrow could come and ease both of their anxiousness.

"You look…if it was possible, but I don't think it is …even more beautiful than ever, Sakura-chan." Naruto said, and she blushed thankfully. She gripped his hand gently, and shut and locked the Hotel door behind her. They walked down the hall, hand in hand, and went straight to the lobby. They had ground-level rooms, unlike Kakashi and Shikamaru. They went outside the hotel, into the calm and windless night of Sunagakure.

The waxing moon gave the town an eerie glow, and Sakura couldn't help but shudder as she glanced at the cold and unforgiving orb in the sky. Usually she loved the moon, but tonight…and on this mission…it was not the pleasant sight it would have been in Konoha.

"Sakura-chan…let's go." Naruto whispered hoarsely, and it took a moment for her to realize they had both been staring at the moon together...and that it was as equally disturbing for him as it was for her.

She glanced at Naruto, and saw his features tightened, his lips pursed together and his eyes hard. He was thinking about it…about Gaara. She nodded, and said, "Okay. Let's get some dinner."

He pried his gaze away from the moon, and prayed fervently…that they would be able to find Gaara's trail…_soon._

--

Deidara and Sasori could move quickly, which they did in order to reach their cave hideout by the border of the River Country. The moon above them cast an eerie glow over them, and the unconscious Kazekage that was still being held by Deidara's clay bird.

They were standing on the river as the water rushed underneath them, their Chakra keeping them afloat. They were standing in front of a large boulder that had a large paper seal on the entrance. The seal glowed as it registered the two Akatsuki members, and the boulder (which was roughly four or five times bigger than them) rose up from the water, revealing a large dark cavern. The two Akatsuki members entered the dark tunnel, and soon they were no longer walking on water, but on solid ground.

They stopped, and Deidara hopped off of his bird, as a form shimmered into existence in front of them. The holo-image of their leader glanced at them, and with a distorted voice asked, "So you captured your biju?"

Sasori chuckled in his gravelly voice. "Yes. Deidara lost an arm…but the Jinchuriki is ready for his demon to be extracted."

The Akatsuki Leader nodded, and made two hand-signs. Deidara and Sasori both were in awe as they felt the massive surge of Chakra from their leader…even when he wasn't physically present. Their Leader, Pein, was leader for a reason. The earth started to shake, and rising from the ground like a zombie from its grave…was a large twisted statue. Two shackled hands rose from the ground in front of the statue, and forms started to shimmer into existence on the fingertips. He glared at the two Akatsuki members in front of him. "Prepare."

Deidara's bird disappeared as he deactivated it, and Gaara fell limply to the ground. Sasori and Deidara jumped onto their assigned spots, as all of the other Akatsuki members appeared in their holographic forms.

"Prepare yourselves, but keep your physical bodies alert. This should take at the longest, three days and three nights." Pein said, his voice leaving no room for argument.

One of the assembled spoke up. "But, now with Orochimaru gone…shouldn't we allow for more time?" It was Kisame Hoshigake who spoke.

"If you're concerned it will take longer, perhaps we should get started." Pein growled, and all of the Akatsuki brought one hand up into a half-seal. Suddenly, the gag that was in the statues mouth swung away, and a glow formed in its now open mouth. Pein activated the Jutsu as he said, "Sealing Justu! Nine Phantom Dragons Seal!"

Nine blue dragons, formed from chakra, exploded out from the statues mouth. They swirled through the air like angry birds, until they all seemed to find what they were looking for. They rocketed past the nine Akatsuki members, towards the lone shape on the ground. They hit Gaara, and the earth shook from the impact as the Biju extraction process began.

Team Kakashi was back at the hospital, Sakura making antidotes…and the rest of the team conversing with Baki about the attack. Sakura came into the room, from outside in the greenhouse. She had just finished making three different antidotes…in case they were to run up against Sasori again. One was for Kankuro, to knock out any lingering side-effects or tiny traces that Sakura had missed.

She walked over to Kankuro, who was being helped up by Temari and Baki. Sakura gently, yet forcibly, helped Kankuro swallow all of his antidote. He coughed, spluttered, but drank it all. Sakura smiled softly. "Good Job, Kankuro." She said, and Kankuro smiled weakly at the pink-haired Shinobi.

Kakashi looked at Baki. "What's happening with the pursuit of the Akatsuki?"

Baki looked at the white-haired Jonin, and lowered his gaze. "Kankuro went solo and ended up like this. That's all."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "So…you mean they're long gone?"

Baki nodded. "Well…yeah."

Kakashi sighed. "Then take me to where Kankuro fought. I have to track them…if even a trace of their scent remains, then I can find them."

Kankuro wearily rasped out, "There's no need for that. There were two Akatsuki, like you know. One has Gaara. All you have to do is follow his scent. Even if the Akatsuki split up, the crow tore a piece of Sasori's cloak off. You'll have no trouble finding the Akatsuki." He was shaking, and he was sweating. The poison did a number on him.

Kakashi smirked slightly under his mask. "Turning things to your advantage…like a true Sand Shinobi." He complimented, and Kankuro gave a tiny smile.

"Kankuro…are you all right?" Temari asked in concern, as she saw how shaky Kankuro was.

"Yeah…I feel a little better." Kankuro admitted, and Temari gave him a soft smile.

"Okay. You need to lie down and take it easy until all the numbness is gone from your body. That's all." Sakura said, and turned towards Naruto. He cracked his knuckles, and his blue eyes sparkled with a determined gleam.

"Okay then…Let's move out!" Naruto yelled, and he adjusted his black headband. His eyes seemed to harden with resolve, and Shikamaru sighed.

Naruto tossed Sakura's backpack to her as she came closer, and she easily caught it. She felt her heart-beat increase as she felt her anticipation growing. They would have to find Gaara soon…and then battle two 'S' rank Criminals. This would be no easy mission.

Team Kakashi, as well as Temari and Baki and the Elder Sand Siblings, walked out of the room and silently walked down the hallways to exit the Hospital. As they walked, Temari spoke.

"I'm coming with you." She said, and Kakashi gave her a smile.

"That's great!" He said, and was about to continue when Baki spoke.

"I'm sorry Temari…but no. You have to stay and help with the Border security. With our nation lacking its Kazekage, and real leadership, other nations might see fit to attack us. I know it's a slim chance…but a chance that could ruin our country." Baki interrupted.

Shikimaru made an attempt to agree with Baki. "And on top of that…it'd be too—OW!" He crumpled to the ground when Temari clubbed him over the head with her fist. He nursed his wound, muttering something about troublesome women.

"What were you about to say?" She asked, and flames seemed to cpring up around her as she cracked her knuckles.

"Just that it'd be too, uh, distracting for me. Yeah…I'd be too concerned about you." Shikimaru made a lame attempt to please her. It didn't work. She clubbed him over the head again and yelled, "LIAR!"

Then the flames disappeared, and she said, "But what you said was sweet." Kakashi and Naruto both carefully edged away while Sakura looked at the Kunoichi with what might have been…admiration. Baki held in a laugh. Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice yell at them from above. "Temari…you will stay! _I_ will go as a representative of the Sand!"

As they looked up, on the roof of the hospital was Chiyo, looking down on them. Baki yelled back up, obviously concerned. "But you're retired and—" He was cut off when she yelled at him.

"DON'T TREAT ME LIKE I'M A FOSSIL!" She yelled…and jumped.

Naruto yelled in shock. "THE OLD HAG JUMPED! AGH!"

She landed easily, and gave a soft smile. "It's been a while…and I'm looking forward to taking care of my adorable grandson again."

Team Guy, having been assigned to reach Suna and give Team Kakashi backup, was hurtling through the trees at a breakneck speed. They had been running at full speed, with very few breaks. Tenten called out, "Hey! Slow down!"

Lee, Neji, and Guy looked back at her as they hurtled through the trees, and Tenten called out again, exasperated. They had been running for about two days now, ever since they had been dispatched. They assumed Team Kakashi had been in Suna for about two days now, but they still weren't letting up on the pace.

"We've been running all day! We need rest!" Tenten yelled, and Lee grinned back at her.

"You're out of shape Tenten!" He laughed, and Tenten grew red in the face. Both from anger and embarrassment. Neji gave her a soft smile, and shook his head.

"I'm NOT out of shape! I just happen to be carrying more than you guys!" She yelled, exasperated. She was carrying a very large summoning scroll, which wasn't really that heavy…but still. She wouldn't admit to being out of shape.

Lee laughed, as did Guy. But then, a harsh but familiar voice yelled, "Wait!"

Guy, Lee, Neji and Tenten all stopped when they landed, and all of a sudden…a little brown ninja dog appeared in front of them.

Guy, surprised, asked, "Pakkun?" Said dog nodded, and panted slightly. He was carefully balanced on a branch, huffing for breath.

"Kakashi sent us Ninja dogs out to track the Akatsuki…and we've found their hideout on the border of River country. Kakashi is headed there now…but you guys are closer. I'll explain the situation on the way." Pakkun said. He turned away, and he and Team Guy jumped away towards River Country.

Inside the Akatsuki cave Hideout in River Country, Gaara's form floated in the air, surrounded by blue energy. Out of his eyes and mouth leaked red Chakra…the power of Shukaku. Gaara made strangling sounds, as the power was forcefully and painfully stripped from him.

One of the Akatsuki members opened his eyes, and spoke softly. "We've got company, Leader. One of them is highly skilled…Konoha's Might Guy, I believe." Zetsu said.

Pein looked at Itachi for clarification. "Who?"

Itachi answered, "He's a Konoha Jonin, a Taijutsu Expert. He's highly skilled…don't underestimate him."

Kisame laughed. "Ah…THAT strange beast."

Pein considered carefully for a moment. "Fine then. We'll use THAT jutsu."

One of the Akatsuki members volunteered. "In that case, I'll go. I'm already frustrated about not finding our Jinchuriki sooner."

Kisame broke in eagerly. "No, I'll go. I have a score to settle with him." He looked at Pein eagerly.

"True…that Jutsu is best suited to you since you have the largest amount of Chakra…Kisame. We're still using 30 percent of your Chakra." Pein said, and the first Akatsuki to volunteer mumbled under his breath.

Kisame grinned his shark-like grin, and chuckled, "Well, well…Finally!"

--

Kisame opened his physical eyes, and grinned. Itachi sat next to him, holding the seal of the Ram. Kisame said, "Finally…It's payback time."

--

Team Guy, led by Pakkun, were close to River Country. They were currently running through a rocky region, faster than before now that the terrain was without anything to hinder them. Pakkun led them in a zig-zag pattern, and sniffed the air, and let out an alarmed noise.

Guy, the closest, noticed. "What's wrong, Pakkun?"

"Someone's coming!" Pakkun yelled back, and Team Guy increased their speed.

Neji activated his Byakugan, and quickly cast his gaze all around them. He found the enemy, and yelled, "BEHIND US!"

From behind them, the ground cracked and rumbled…and then from the ground erupted the tip of something white. It chased them, and they faced to confront it. The tip grew larger, coming more and more out of the ground, and it drew closer. Finally, when it was right on top of them, they jumped up onto a rock hill that was behind them. The white object slammed into the hill, and they landed gently…and waited for the cloud of dust to clear.

As it cleared…a large but hazy form started to appear. The dust cleared, and standing before them with his sword resting on his shoulders…was Kisame Hoshigaki.

Guy spoke, "You're…"

Lee glanced at his instructor. "Guy-sensei? You know him?"

Guy finished his sentence, "Who?"

Kisame shook his head…and sighed. "I guess the strange beast _is_ as dumb as he looks. Oh well…I'll make you remember soon enough."

He cackled evilly, and Neji's Byakugan glared at him. Neji spoke with amazement. "This guy…has an incredible amount of Chakra. I've never seen anyone but Naruto with this much! It's inhuman! So this…is the Akatsuki…"

Kisame grinned, and hoisted his sword. This…would be fun.

He threw his sword high into the air, looking as if he had exerted hardly any effort. He clapped his hands together, and then drew back his head as he prepared his attack. "**WATER STYLE! EXPLODING WATER SHOCKWAVE!**" He yelled, and Team guy prepared themselves for his attack.

He suddenly spat water out…with explosive force. Suddenly a large wave of water, ten times taller than any of them, and Kisame rode the tope of the wave. He extended his right hand into the air…and Samehada smacked soundly into his waiting palm. He looked down at the four ninja, and one ninja dog…and roared, "HERE I COME!"

Suddenly, the water surge forward, and he rode down the wave towards them…sword at the ready. Team Guy jumped off their rocks as the wave crashed towards them…and Kisame aimed for Might Guy straight off the bat. He jumped at the Bowl-cut sporting Jonin, sword raised. Might Guy's eyes widened at the speed of the blue man…and gasped.

Rock Lee appeared next to the Akatsuki member and kicked the sword from his hand. "**KONOHA RISING WIND!**" He yelled, and the sword sailed away from Kisame's hand. _'What?!',_ Kisame thought. The speed of the boy was incredible!

Neji landed easily on a rocky surface, behind Lee and Guy. He spun, facing them, and attacked. Might Guy and Lee expected it and jumped into the air. "8 Trigrams: Air Palm!" Neji yelled, and thrust his palm in Kisame's direction. Air and Chakra, invisible to everyone but Neji's eyes, hit Kisame solidly in the chest. Kisame flew backwards through the air, feeling like he had just been hit by a cannonball.

He flew right next to his sword, Samehada, and he grabbed it and skidded to a stop on top of the water. He gasped and brought up his sword as he saw something fly at him from his right side. A large metal ball with large razor spikes stuck to his sword, and he saw a faint smoke on the other side of the metal ball. He knew what it was immediately. "A bomb!"

He dove underwater as it exploded, and he just barely missed the flying shrapnel. Tenten grunted in displeasure. "No luck. He got away." She reported, and she held her summoning scroll. She had just sent the bomb from the scroll…but missed.

Kisame rose from the water a good twenty yards away from them, and growled. "These irritating Brats. This is ridiculous."

Might guy stepped forward as he said, "Water Style Ninjutsu…and you weild that huge sword…You're…"

Kisame laughed. "It took you long enough to remember!"

Guy made a fierce face. "I feel like we've met before…"

Kisame raised an eyebrow. _'What the hell? Is he seriously this stupid?'_, he thought. He sighed, and faced the four Shinobi of Team Guy. "Fine…you really know how to play dumb. I'll just have to rip you to shreds until you remember. Geeze."

He hoisted his sword again, and Team guy prepared for his attack.

--

Team Kakashi, accompanied by Shikamaru and Chiyo, soared through the tree branches. Kakashi had to take point, seeing as he knew where they were going. Naruto wanted to take point…but he would have gotten them lost. So, he followed Kakashi closely, and Sakura leapt along beside him. She turned her head towards him as they jumped.

"Hey Naruto…can I ask you something?" She asked, and Naruto shrugged.

"Sure." He said, and Sakura took a breath.

"How long…how long have you been a target of the Akatsuki?" She asked hesitantly. She wasn't sure exactly how to approach what she wanted to say.

Naruto lowered his gaze, and turned his head from Sakura. He didn't look at her, but he answered with a saddened voice. "How should I know?" He murmured, and Sakura gave him a concerned look.

Kakashi heard, and answered. "Two Akatsuki members came to Konoha looking for Naruto…roughly three years ago. Now they're back, but I'm not sure what they want exactly." He called back, and Sakura thought for a moment.

"Three years? Why did they wait almost three years?" She asked. Chiyo glanced at her, obviously caught up by the conversation now that it had taken an interesting turn.

Kakashi answered as he went low, jumping off of a rock, to make sure he still had the scent. "It's not so much that they didn't, as much as they probably couldn't. After all…Naruto was with Lord Jiraiya."

Chiyo chuckled. "No…according to my information it seems there were other reasons." She paused, and made sure she had everyone's attention. "Extracting Biju sealed in a human body requires some preparation. They needed time."

Sakura glanced back at Chiyo. "What? What's a…Biju?"

Chiyo scoffed at the girl. "What!? You're a pupil of Tsunade's…but you don't know that?"

Kakashi answered for her. "In Konoha, anything relating to the Kyuubi is absolutely top Secret."

Chiyo said monotonously, "Well that's not surprising."

Sakura glanced at the two older ninja. Chiyo looked up at the girl, and explained. "Biju are tailed beast spirits. From long ago, there was Ichibi, the one-tailed spirit of sand. Then Shukaku which was sealed inside of Gaara."

Sakura nodded. "Yes…Naruto told me about him. There are nine tailed beasts right?"

Chiyo nodded. "Biju are distinct in Character…each of them has a different number of tails. Ichibi means one tail, Nibi is two…and up to Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox spirit. Their names represent the number of tails they have. The Biju are huge concentrations of Chakra. During the Era of Great War, every nation's Hidden Village competed for control of them…for military purposes."

Everyone listened intently, even Shikamaru. "But…their power is beyond human understanding and no one could control them. I don't know the Akatsuki's intentions…but that kind of power is far too dangerous for them to get ahold of. Well…in peaceful times, things have changed. I heard that the Biju have spread and exist all over the world now."

She fell silent, and Sakura and Naruto both thought about the spread Biju…and they both wondered how many Akatsuki had captured.

--

Zetsu spoke yet again. "Leader…more enemies approach. They're Konoha Shinobi."

Pein resisted the urge to sigh. These shinobi were getting annoying. "Well…who's up for this one?"

Everyone was silent, but one of the Akatsuki members raised his hand. Pein inclined his head. "Good. Activate THAT jutsu."

--

Kakashi led them to a clearing, and as soon as his feet touched the ground…he sensed and saw something. "Everyone stop!" He yelled. Shikamaru was the farthest one behind, so he stayed in the trees right before the clearing. Standing before them, was an Akatsuki member waiting for them.

Naruto gave a start, and Sakura asked, "Who…?"

Kakashi squinted his revealed eye slightly. "So soon?"

Chiyo hissed, "Those eyes…he's…"

Naruto growled the answer to Sakura's question, baring his teeth. "Uchiha…Itachi!"

The Uchiha didn't move, but stared silently at the four Shinobi in front of him. The wind blew his hair and cloak…and gave him a mysterious appearance.

Sakura thought in shock, 'He's _Itachi Uchiha?_'

Chiyo hummed thoughtfully. "Itachi…yes. He's the boy who murdered his entire clan."

Itachi finally spoke. "Long time no see, Kakashi…Naruto-kun." His voice was soft and deep, and Sakura was startled to realize that he was handsome. If he wasn't evil…she would have been attracted to him.

'_He has the Sharingan…just like Sasuke!'_ She thought as she noticed the red three-comma Sharingan. _'He…He's caused Sasuke…and Naruto-kun so much pain!'_ She thought, and felt her anger rise. This man…hunted her Naruto, and had caused Sasuke to take the path he did. The bastard would pay.

Naruto stepped forward. "Who the hell do you think you are?!" He yelled. Itachi showed no reaction to the outburst…but listened patiently.

"You come for me…then you kidnap Gaara…I'm gonna take you out!" He yelled. Kakashi glanced at his teammate, and then twitched as he saw Itachi raise his right hand slightly.

"Nobody look directly into his eyes!" He yelled, drawing their attention. Itachi finished bringing his hand up to the level of his eyes. He had been hoping for at least one person to follow his hand, but they all had their eyes averted thanks to Kakashi.

"Then…how are we supposed to fight him?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi thought for a moment…and remembered when he had asked Guy three years ago how he had fought Itachi. "You read his movements by watching his body and footwork. Since Itachi's Genjutsu is ocular, with his eyes, basically he seizes his target with his vision. You'll be okay as long as your eyes don't meet his." Kakashi said.

Sakura struggled to not look, and growled. "This is _not_ going to be easy…"

Chiyo smiled, almost fondly. "The Uchiha clan…I haven't gone up against the Sharingan in a long time. But…you don't need to be afraid. Several tactics can handle ocular Jutsu."

Naruto glanced at her in surprise. "Well then…what do we do?"

She chuckled. "If it's one on one, you definitely run. But if it's two on one…you attack his backside."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked. Sakura shook her head. Surely he couldn't be _that_ dense.

Chiyo answered anyways. "If it's two on one, then even if one of them falls under the Genjutsu, they can be released if the other gets behind the enemy and lands a hit. If that doesn't work…you can free your comrade by giving _them_ a whack too. In other words…when you are two or more, one acts as a decoy and then others attack continuously from the Sharingan's blindspot." She said, and Naruto smiled. Sakura did too, anxious to get down to beating Itachi…now that they knew his weakness.

Kakashi sighed. He wished it were that simple. "Yeah…if it's a regular Genjutsu…that's fine. But in this case, it's a little more troublesome. He uses the Mangekyou Sharingan…and it's more powerful than the original. If you're caught by his ocular jutsu, he has you _instantly_. It has nothing to do with whether you can defeat Genjutsu or not."

Naruto growled in impatience. He had forgotten about that. Damn. Chiyo sighed. "What a nuisance…who _is_ he?"

Itachi allowed a small smile to grace his features. "Well done Kakashi. You have learned from only one experience of Tsukiyomi…the nightmare realm."

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "That's not all I learned. After using that ocular jutsu…you were spent. You tried to wrap things up and leave. That jutsu requires a considerable amount of chakra. And…it seems there's quite a risk to your eyes too…Itachi."

Itachi allowed his eyebrows to raise slightly in surprise…but not much. "After only one fight…that's a pretty good analysis."

They all watched as Kakashi raised his headband and revealed his scarred eye. He had it closed for the moment, but then he slowly opened it. "How much…of your eyesight have you lost?" Kakashi asked.

Itachi visibly twitched, and his eyes widened. He lowered his head, and then asked, "Kakashi…are you…?" He stopped, and Kakashi spoke.

"Anyways! Last time I dropped my guard. I don't make the same mistake twice." He said, not answering Itachi.

Naruto grinned. "Heh…and if you think that _I'm_ the same…you're making a big mistake!"

Kakashi stepped forward, slightly away from the rest of them. "I'll take care of him, Naruto."

Naruto glared at his sensei. "What? Is this more of that non-fighting teamwork?" He remembered when they did _that_ kind of teamwork in the Land of Waves…versus Zabuza.

"No. This time I need you for backup. I'd really like to send you guys on ahead of me…but I don't think I can take him alone." Kakashi said, keeping his eyes on Itachi. Naruto cracked his knuckles anxiously, and chuckled.

In the trees, unable to be seen by Itachi…Shikamaru exercised extreme caution and slowly began to circle the clearing. He was going to attack Itachi from behind.

--

Might Guy had engaged Kisame, one on one, and he was keeping Kisame on the defensive. He was fast…Kisame would freely admit that. What he didn't want to admit was how _strong_ the dumb-looking man was. He blocked a kick from Might Guy with Samehada's hilt…but was surprised when Guy's leg wrapped around the handle below his hand. Guy used his other foot to kick the base of Samehada and propel himself and the sword backwards.

The sword was ripped from Kisame's hands, and he gasped in surprise. Guy yelled, "NOW!"

Suddenly, Tenten, Neji, and Lee jumped at Kisame's unprotected backside. Kisame growled in anger. "Damn brats!" He clapped his hands together quickly, and initiated a Jutsu.

"**Art of the Water Clone!**" He yelled, and the water that they were standing on rose at his back and formed three water clones. The water that he had expelled with his Exploding Water Shockwave had formed a miniature lake…and they were fighting quite well on the water surface.

The clones grinned as they protected their real self's back, and they each blocked an attack from the three incoming shinobi. Might Guy grabbed Samehada in his hands, and sprang at Kisame as suddenly…Kisame formed another hand sign and each of his clones turned into water and formed Water Prisons around the younger members of Team Guy. Guy swung Samehada, aiming for Kisame's head.

He cried out in pain as blades sprouted from the handle, cutting his hands and he dropped the blade. "LEE! NEJI! TENTEN!" Guy yelled, and Kisame laughed.

"The little Brats are better than I thought." He laughed, and he glanced back at the three Water Clones who were back in their original shape…but holding a Shinobi in separate Water Prisons.

"But now…we can do this one on one! Hehehe!" He laughed, and Guy ground his teeth in frustration. The sword seemed to guide itself and soared towards Kisame's outstretched hand. It smacked into his palm, dripping wet. "Only I am allowed to wield Samehada." He boasted.

Guy took off his backpack, reached in…and pulled out a pair of nun-chucks. He replaced his backpack, and then started to twirl the nun-chucks slowly. Then…it picked up speed until is was a blur. Guy closed his eyes and swung the nun-chucks around his body in a complicated pattern…and then he opened his eyes as he grabbed both nun-chucks handles and slammed them forward, ready.

Kisame darted forward immediately. "ALL RIGHT!" He roared…and swung Samehada at Guy.

--

"It's time for you to come with me…Naruto-kun." Itachi said, and raised his right hand at about waist level and pointed his index finger at the blond shinobi. Naruto gritted his teeth in preparation…and he saw that Kakashi was about to jump forward. Naruto made a single-hand sign, and initiated his newest Jutsu.

"**Thunder Flicker Jutsu!**" He yelled, and then he sprang forward. His body accelerated well past human perception, leaving only an orange and yellow streak in his wake. He swung his fist at Itachi, whose eyes widened in surprise.

Naruto swung his fist, aiming for Itachi's face…but his fist was stopped by Itachi. _'Crap…he's fast enough to stop it.'_ Naruto thought, and he quickly avoided Itachi's eyes. He watched Itachi's movement with peripheral vision, and jumped backwards as Itachi punched at him. He used his Thunder Flicker Jutsu to spring backwards fast enough that Itachi missed…but only just barely. He landed in front of Kakashi.

"Naruto…how was he able to stop you?" Kakashi gasped. It was supposed to be impossible to stop the Leaping Thunder God Jutsu.

Itachi seemed to be taken aback by Naruto's attack, even though he had successfully thwarted it. "You…" He started to say, but stopped. He wouldn't admit his surprise…not to him.

"He's able to stop me…because it's not the Leaping Thunder God Jutsu…it's a lesser speed Technique. Faster than the Body Flicker…slower than the Thunder God. My father was experimenting with ways to do the Thunder God Jutsu without his kunai…and he came up with the Thunder Flicker. Apparently…it's not fast enough to overwhelm Itachi as I had hoped. But the upside is I don't have to make hand seals each time I want to do the Thunder Flicker. It accelerates the body for a good five minutes. Then you have to re-activate the Jutsu." Naruto rasped, and Kakashi nodded.

"I see. Well then…back me up. If his attention is split between us we'll have a greater chance against us. And if I distract him, it'll be much easier for you to nail him with your Thunder Flicker Jutsu." Kakashi said, and Naruto nodded. They crouched low, ready to jump in and fight. Kakashi jumped forward…and the battle with Uchiha Itachi had begun.

I apologize for the late update guys! I've been so slammed with work and school…it's not even funny! But, I'm afraid you'll have to wait even longer if not as long for the next chapter to be updated. So…forgive me please.


	9. Chapter 9

An explosion of water resulted after each furious blow that Kisame delivered

Well, I hope that I kept you guys hooked enough to want to look into this chapter! :D I kinda neglected my schoolwork a bit, but I managed to finish this chapter in a day. It was hard to do…but I did it. :) Thank you for your continued reading, and if you guys ever have any questions, go ahead and leave a review or PM me.

Lost in the Green Seas

CHAPTER 9: Confrontations Part 2

An explosion of water resulted after each furious blow that Kisame delivered. Lucky for Guy…he was able to block the sword with his nun-chucks. But just barely. Kisame was fast for his size, but he was even stronger than Guy was. Kisame pressed hard against Guy, and Guy was straining to keep from bending in half.

Suddenly, Kisame raised his right hand from Samehada's hilt and slammed it into Guy's stomach. The force of the blow caused another explosion of water, and it sent Guy deep under the water. Guy cried out underwater, and blood shot from his mouth. He soared deep, like a torpedo…until he rested on the floor of the newly created lake. _'Such brute strength…I have no choice.'_ Might Guy thought.

Kisame laughed. "I haven't even gotten started!" He started to make hand seals…and roared, "**WATER STYLE! FIVE SHARK MEAL JUTSU!**"

Over in the Water Prisons…Tenten started to splutter and gasp. She was slowly drowning. Guy saw this, and realized that he had no choice. As five blue Chakra Sharks rushed towards him, he crossed his arms in front of him. A vein throbbed on his forehead…and then the vein expanded some more, branching out above his thick eyebrows. The water started to boil around him…and then he swung his arms away from his body and yelled. The water dissipated, making his voice heard. "**The Eight Inner Gates! The Sixth Gate, Keimon…RELEASE!"**

The heat and Chakra exploded from his body, destroying the five Chakra sharks, and boiling the water. Kisame jumped back as suddenly the water blew upwards, forming a tunnel straight to Might Guy. Might Guy crouched, prepared to attack…and the ground cracked underneath him. The energy, heat, and chakra that surrounded him was incredible…and Kisame's eyes widened in shock.

Neji, in the Water Prison, could see Tenten to his right, clutching her throat. He could not wait any longer…he had to act. He had to save her. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He focused Chakra out of his body, like he would in the Rotation…but the release of Chakra blew the Water Prison apart. The Clones in front of him gasped in shock as he landed…and a smirk appeared on his face. He moved faster than they could register, and struck each of them in the heart. They died instantly, dissipating back into water. Tenten collapsed, and Neji caught her. She spluttered, "Thanks…"

Neji stayed silent as he held Tenten. He held her tightly against his chest, their soaked bodies shivering slightly. Rock Lee was crouched on the water, panting. He looked up when he heard an explosion, and he cried out, "Look!"

They all looked up at Kisame, who had jumped high into the air. In front of him…appeared Might Guy, in the stance of the Crane. His skin was a dark reddish brown, and his eyes were pure white. Kisame gasped in shock at Guy's appearance and instinctively swung his sword. He was fast…but Might Guy was faster. Might Guy swung his left leg, and his leg went so fast it actually caught fire. Kisame's eyes widened…and then he was launched into the air as Might Guy's foot met his mouth.

Tenten gasped, "That's the…"

Neji grinned. "Yup."

Lee clenched his fists and whispered. "It's Game Over!"

Might Guy flew after Kisame, and drew back his fists. "**DANCE OF THE MORNING PEACOCK!**" He roared, and threw a flurry of punches. His fists caught fire, and the power of his blows battered and obliterated Kisame…and sent him flying back down to earth like a flaming comet. He crashed into the water, and Might Guy instantly closed the Inner Gates, so that the strain on his body would be minimal. He had thrown hundreds of punches in a few seconds…and the strain was incredible. He slowly fell back to the earth, and landed on the water. Neji helped to support Tenten as Lee ran ahead to Guy. The water suddenly started to drain away…until they were once more on solid rocky ground.

"Guy-sensei!" Lee cried, and Guy turned to his prized student. He was breathing heavily…but he embraced Lee nonetheless.

"LEE!" He cried, and they hugged ferociously. Tenten and Neji sighed. Those two were almost unbearable. Neji let Tenten go, and Team guy gathered around the crater that held Kisame Hoshigaki. Except…

"What? Th…this guy…is…" Guy stammered, looking down at the corpse in the crater. Tenten, Lee, and Neji all gasped in disbelief.

--

Kakashi punched at Itachi, and Itachi simply moved to the side, hardly even blinking. He grabbed Kakashi's extended right arm by the sleeve with his left hand and swung at Kakashi's face with his right hand. Kakashi moved his head slightly and dodged the blow.

Itachi sprang backwards and released Kakashi, ducking underneath a kick aimed to take his head off. Naruto had appeared behind him with a flash of yellow…and Itachi had just barely been able to see it in his peripheral vision. Itachi immediately formed hand signs as he skidded backwards. Naruto moved with his Thunder Flicker again, disrupting Itachi's Jutsu. Itachi was forced to block a high-speed punch and kick combo, and then had to jump backwards yet again to dodge an attack from Kakashi.

With Naruto's new speed and their combined teamwork, they would surely overwhelm him. It was only a matter of time. Itachi landed a solid punch on Naruto, sending him sprawling away. Itachi quickly turned his attention to Kakashi.

Itachi decided to take the initiative, and instead of jumping backwards to avoid Kakashi's next attack…he met it head on. He mustered all the speed he could and grabbed Kakashi's head and held onto the silver-haired Jonin. Their eyes met…and Itachi immediately threw him into a Genjutsu. If he was going to be overwhelmed…he would at least incapacitate one of them. And he would prefer to do it to their leader.

Kakashi found himself on a flat plane, facing Itachi. Immediately, Kakashi's legs burst on fire. Kakashi screamed in pain, as the fire slowly started to spread up his legs. "OH GOD!" He cried, and as suddenly as he had found himself inside the Genjutsu…he found himself released from it. Naruto had forced Itachi to cancel the Genjutsu by recklessly charging and performing a head-on assault.

Kakashi fell to his knees, panting. The Genjutsu was a powerful one…and it had hurt like hell. He shakily got back to his knees as Sakura cried his name in concern. "I'm fine Sakura…" He called back, and then was surprised when an Itachi Shadow Clone appeared beside him. He quickly ducked underneath its lightning fast attacks, and then sprang backwards. The clone made hand seals in a blur, and released one of the Uchiha signature Jutsu. "**Grand Fireball Jutsu!**" He yelled, and then blew out a massive fireball that was at least twice as big as he was. Kakashi sprang out of the way and it rolled right past him.

Sakura and Chiyo had to spring away as well, as the fireball rocketed towards them. They jumped into the woods, staying out of Itachi's sight. They watched the battle unfold though, and Sakura watched with pride as Naruto kept Itachi occupied with a furious assault. Itachi was using all the speed he could muster, and he was just barely able to keep up with Naruto. Naruto had improved greatly.

Kakashi dispatched Itachi's Shadow Clone with a surprise kunai attack, and then jumped at Itachi once more. Itachi sped through hand seals faster than even Kakashi's Sharingan could see. He jumped backwards and yelled, "**Phoenix Fire Flower Jutsu!**"

He blew out rapid-fire fireballs, forcing Naruto and Kakashi to jump backwards a good distance. When Itachi landed, Naruto and Kakashi stood still. Itachi did not move…and they all stood perfectly relaxed. Naruto's breathing was a bit heavier than when they had started…but he was not even sweating yet. Kakashi was slightly winded…but was still ready to go.

"You've improved a great deal, Naruto-kun." Itachi complimented…and Naruto grinned.

"Thanks…but that's not even half of my true power." Naruto laughed.

"Well…I have yet to reveal my true strength as well. Unfortunately, I cannot use my Mangekyou Sharingan…" Itachi said, and Naruto and Kakashi both frowned. He couldn't use it?

"Why?" Naruto asked, and Itachi only gave him a small smile and stayed silent.

He casually raised his right hand and brushed some hair out of his face…and then lowered his hand once more. "You will be too late, Naruto-kun." He said, and Naruto froze.

"Too late?" He asked. He knew what Itachi was talking about.

"Yes…at the rate you're going with this battle…by the time you reach the container of the Ichibi, we'll have withdrawn the demon." Itachi chided, and wasn't surprised when Naruto yelled at him.

"SHUT UP!" He roared. Itachi wasn't surprised when Naruto rushed him…but he was surprised when he felt a two kunai stabbed into his back and neck. He didn't cry out, but fell to the ground immediately. Standing behind him were two Naruto Shadow Clones, lips curled back and baring their teeth. They dispelled…and Itachi coughed out blood and said one last thing before he died. "You're still too slow." Then, he laid his face down…and died.

Kakashi lowered his headband over his Sharingan eye…and Naruto turned his back on Itachi's corpse. "Let's go, Kakashi-sensei." He said.

Sakura and Chiyo, and Shikamaru, jumped out of the woods and walked over. Shikamaru sighed. "I was going to nab him with the Shadow Possession…but looks like you got him before I did."

Naruto didn't bother to look at the corpse. Sakura, Chiyo, Shikamaru, and Kakashi eyed the facedown man, however. Kakashi knelt and turned him over, and they all gasped. Naruto turned, and gritted his teeth. "Damn…I knew it was too easy." He rasped.

Chiyo recognized the man immediately. "This…this is…"

--

They were closer to River Country now…only a few minutes away. Guy was following Pakkun still…and behind him leapt Tenten, Neji, and Lee. "So…what was that?" He asked, talking about the corpse they had seen.

Might Guy frowned. "I don't know…it's probably their..."

--

"It's probably their Jutsu or something." Sakura said, frowning. The Corpse was no longer Itachi Uchiha…but another man. One who didn't even resemble the Uchiha.

"He's…from the Hidden Sand. His name is Yuura…and he's a Jonin and Head of Security." Chiyo murmured.

"What? Maybe he was a spy for Akatsuki?" Sakura asked.

"I doubt it…he's been Security Advisor for four years." Chiyo said.

"So they used the Art of Transformation?" Naruto asked.

"Nah…that's not it at all. The Uchiha clan created the Fireball Technique, and they like to use it often. And that Jutsu he used wasn't fake at all. It was Itachi alright." Kakashi said.

--

Kisame sighed. "So you're done too, Itachi?"

Itachi didn't move, but answered his partner. "Yes…I'm out of Chakra completely. But, it was enough to delay them." He murmured, and kept his eyes closed. He was running over the fight in his mind.

"Well, we did give the sacrifices thirty percent of our Chakra…" Kisame said.

"It is indeed a useful Jutsu. But the substitutes, because we don't allot them much Chakra…are limited in strength and in the Jutsu they use." Itachi said. He closed his eyes and sent his Astral Projection across space to the Akatsuki hideout that the rest of the members were currently gathered at.

Pein noticed his appearance immediately. "So the Jutsu was broken?" He asked.

"Yes…but we gained valuable time." Itachi said. He was confident the extraction would be complete before Naruto reached the hideout.

"That's easy for _you_ to say. The two who offered their bodies for your sacrifices were my men!" Sasori growled out.

Pein scoffed. "Humph. They were Akatsuki members for a while thanks to my art. I would expect them to thank me for the privilege." Sasori was silent. "Well…it's nearly time. It's almost complete." Pein said, and went back to the task at hand.

--

"So the real Itachi is at the Akatsuki lair…and this replica was to slow us down and gather intelligence on us. Man…they're good." Kakashi sighed.

Sakura had her eyes locked on Naruto…who was grinding his teeth in the thought that he had used his speed technique and now the Akatsuki would know of it. Sakura watched his blond eyebrows furrow, and Naruto glared at the corpse in front of them. _'Naruto…since we've parted, you…you took on guys like this?'_ She thought. She was amazed. Naruto was so much stronger than she had thought.

Chiyo nodded in agreement with Akatsuki. "Yes…it's clear they were trying to buy time. There's no doubt that they've already started to extract the Biju. I bet they're trying to create a new Jinchuriki…with the one-tailed Shukaku." She said.

Kakashi nodded. "Then there's no time to lose. We have to hurry to rescue Gaara." Chiyo agreed almost silently. "Yes…"

Sakura knew she had heard the term Jinchuriki before…she thought so at least. "Jinchuriki?" She asked, hoping they would clarify. Kakashi eyed Naruto, gauging his reaction.

Chiyo explained for the young lady. "As I explained…Biju have super-human powers. And each country tried to use them for military purposes. If you can control the Jinchuriki you can control the Biju he's host of."

"But you also said no one could control the Biju." Sakura said, confused.

Chiyo sighed. "No one could in the end. But at one time people did try to control them…by sealing the Biju in Humans. In that way, people tried to suppress the Biju's extreme powers and control them." Naruto placed his hand over his stomach…and he could have sworn he felt heat there. Like the fox was confirming what the old lady said.

"And people in whom the Biju were sealed…like Gaara…are known as Jinchuriki." Chiyo continued…and Sakura looked at Naruto. He dropped his hands to his side…and looked at the ground. "A Jinchuriki is capable of incredible power by resonating with their Biju. Including Gaara, there have been three Jinchuriki in Sand's history." Chiyo said. She watched the young girl's reaction closely.

Sakura stared at the ground…and seemed troubled. "Using those Jinchuriki people waged war over and over again right?" She asked, not looking up.

"Yes." Chiyo replied.

Sakura looked up and half-yelled, "But then, what about the people that were made into the Jinchuriki!?" She ground her teeth in frustration and then glanced at Naruto. He was looking at the ground, silent…and refusing to look at her. "What can be done to pull out the Biju…out of the host?" She asked, hope in her voice.

Naruto's head jerked up in surprise and he looked at Chiyo as she answered. "Removing the Biju requires a sealing Jutsu with power that is momentarily equal to that of the Biju…and quite a bit of time. But once the Biju is removed…the Jinchuriki…" She trailed off, waiting for the young girl to reach the conclusion on her own.

She remembered Chiyo's words from a few moments before. _"Yes…it's clear that they're trying to buy time. There's no doubt…they've already begun to extract the Biju!"_ and yet again, _"I bet they're trying to make a new Jinchuriki…with the one-tailed Shukaku."_ And Then Kakashi's words…and the tone of his voice. _"Then there's no time to lose. We have to hurry and rescue Gaara."_

Sakura's eyes widened, and her whole body stiffened. "Oh, no…" She whispered, and she felt her heart catch in her throat as she realized what it was.

Naruto knew the answer, and he glanced at Sakura. Kakashi looked at the ground…and Shikamaru stared wide-eyed at Naruto. So this was what he had been having to deal with? Men bent on withdrawing his demon and…then if they succeeded…_that_?

Chiyo confirmed everyone's thoughts. "Yes…when the Biju is removed…the Jinchuriki…dies." She was watching all of their reactions…and Sakura's lips trembled. She stared at the blond, who turned around. The cold wind blew at them…chilling her heart even more.

Chiyo locked gazes with Sakura. "Both of the Sand Village's other Jinchuriki I mentioned earlier?" She reminded Sakura. "They died because Shukaku was removed."

Tears welled up in Sakura's eyes…and her shoulders shook. Her chin quivered, and she clenched her fists. Naruto sadly spoke. "Always quick to cry, Sakura…but don't worry." He looked at her over his shoulder, showing her the smiling mask he had presented so many times through their youth. "I'm gonna save Gaara!" He boasted…but he lacked the enthusiasm.

Sakura took a step towards Naruto. The idiot! Couldn't he see it was him that she was worried about!? Couldn't he see her heart was breaking? Could he not see…that she couldn't even stomach the thought of his death at the hands of the Akatsuki? She yelled at him, her voice trembling, "I…! NARUTO! IT'S YOU I'M WORR--!"

Naruto cut her off with a fake yell of enthusiasm. "We'd better hurry! Come on!"

Sakura let her tears stream down her face…and stared at him in disbelief. Why did he cut her off? Why didn't he want to hear that she was worried about him? Why was he acting like this? Sakura's knees started to buckle, and she fell to the ground…her knees in the grass. Kakashi and Shikamaru knelt by her side and put their hands on her shoulders…as Naruto started to walk towards the direction that they had been headed before being confronted by Itachi. Chiyo eyed Naruto and Sakura both with curiosity. What was up with them?

Kakashi and Shikamaru helped Sakura to her feet, and Kakashi caringly wiped the tears off her face. They had to get going. Sakura nodded at the unspoken message, and shouldered her backpack. She held her chin up…but couldn't stop her lip from quivering. They headed out.

--

"Zetsu…we need you to take care of the two we used for the Art of Impersonation. We can't have them being picked up by anyone else…understood?" Pein called out.

Zetsu, the Akatsuki member who was half-plant and half-man, nodded. He was surrounded by a plant that resembled the Venus Fly-trap, it's mouth open and him standing there. His skin was half, white, and half-black. He suffered from Split personalities…and was the Akatsuki's clean-up man. He would…dispose…of those who they needed to be disposed of. His white half nodded. "Of course."

Pein glanced at Itachi. "Itachi…how many enemies are there? And who are they?"

Itachi spoke loudly for all to hear. "Konoha's Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Naruto…the Nine-tailed Fox's Jinchuriki. Sunagakure Advisor Chiyo finishes out their team."

Sasori flinched. _'Granny Chiyo!'_ He thought…and clenched his right hand.

--

It was midnight, and they had stopped for two hours of rest. Kakashi was awake, as was Chiyo, and they both watched the three young shinobi. Kakashi had taken Naruto aside before he had allowed the blonde to sleep, and asked him why he had acted the way he did towards Sakura earlier in the day.

Naruto glanced at the ground, and clenched his jaw. "It's because…I don't deserve her concern. I don't deserve any of you. Gaara…I'm sure hasn't had anything like this…so I shouldn't either. Why should I have the things he doesn't? I can't bring myself to enjoy Sakura's company…and I can't handle her concern and worry when I think to myself 'Gaara never had this'." Naruto said, and then left to rest. Kakashi understood. Naruto was consumed by guilt.

Naruto had slept on one side of a campfire they made…and Sakura and Shikamaru the other. Naruto couldn't handle being close to those who cared so much for him…at least not right now. Chiyo eyed Naruto…and thought how much he looked like her grandson had all those years ago. Except her grandson had red hair and no whisker marks on his cheeks. But still…the resemblance was uncanny. _'Sasori…'_ She thought sadly.

Kakashi stood. "Okay…break time is over. We have to get going now." He said, and Chiyo nodded. She rose and helped Kakashi wake the three youngsters up.

Pein sighed. The statue had nine eyes cracked open, but the statue only had pupils in two of the eyes. A faint black mark appeared in one of the eyes and he grinned. He watched as the demonic Chakra was sucked from Gaara's form…and chuckled. "It's almost complete."

--

Gaara found himself looking at his hand. Or at least he thought it might be his. He wasn't sure…"Whose…whose hand is this?" He asked…and then clenched his hand.

"Ah…it's mine." He said, and stared intently at that hand. He felt…strange. "Have I…become someone that people need?" He wondered, and moved his hand. He saw a floating object just beyond his hand. He looked at the object…and saw it was a body. It was someone who looked a lot like him…or…"Who's that? Is it me?" he whispered. He was sure it was.

"That's me…wanting to be needed by someone…why? Why did I want that? Why do I wish for that?" He asked…and stared intently at his body. The green eyes, the red hair, the face…was so familiar to him. He had seen it almost every day of his life.

"Those eyes, that nose, that mouth….why is that…Gaara?" He asked. He didn't even know what he was trying to ask. "I was in there…no….what am I anyway? I'm only aware of being 'me'. So…who am 'I'…? Just…" He murmured…feeling himself slip away. He saw the body start to go away…just sort of float far away. "I'm…just…a small…consciousness…" He said…and then his body disappeared…and everything went white.

--

The Nine Dragons dissipated, and Gaara's corpse seemed to hover in the air for a second. Then…his body plummeted towards the ground, and hit the ground with a loud thud. Pein glanced at the Statue…and saw that now…there were three pupils. "Complete." He said, grinning sinisterly.

--

It was afternoon now…and Team Guy landed directly outside of a large boulder with a paper tag on it. The tag read, 'Forbidden'. Guy barked out, "HERE!" Neji and Tenten and Lee landed next to him, Lee carrying Pakkun on his shoulder.

They stared at the giant rock. "Gaara is beyond here. I can tell." Pakkun said, and Lee looked at him in surprise. This was the first thing he had said in a while.

Neji formed a hand seal and focused his Chakra to his eyes and activated his Blood Line Trait. "BYAKUGAN!" He yelled, and his pale pupil-less eyes activated.

"Neji…what's it look like?" Tenten asked.

Neji furrowed his brow, and felt a knot of dread tie itself in his belly. He couldn't even describe what he was seeing. "What is that?" He murmured, and Lee immediately wanted to know.

"What's happening?" He asked. Neji shook his head. "I can't even explain."

Guy frowned…and then charged the rock. "HHHOOOOOO-AH!" He roared, and then punched the rock. His brute strength should have shattered the rock…but all that happened was that a large explosive noise resulted from Might Guy's assault. A clear energy field cushioned his fist…and Guy immediately knew what it was. "A barrier?" He murmured.

--

Pein glanced at the cave door. "It's getting louder out there."

Sasori chuckled. "Well…there's one more Jinchuriki to bag isn't there? Hehehe…don't blame me, Itachi." Sasori said to the Uchiha. Itachi furrowed his brow slightly…but held his anger in check. Emotions were a waste.

--

Kakashi and company rocketed towards River Country…they weren't that far now. They jumped off trees and rocks and cliffs…and Naruto was in the lead. As the wind blasted his face, he gritted his teeth and became lost in thought. His body went through the motions…but he wasn't paying attention.

He couldn't stop thinking…how alone Gaara had been all his life. Naruto had had Sakura, Sasuke, Iruka, and Kakashi. Gaara had had no one. He had been so alone…so hated. Naruto had gotten more friends. Jiraiya, the Third Hokage, Tenten, Ino, Hinata, Shikamaru, Neji, Lee, Choji, Kiba, and Shino. Gaara…had no one. He was alone still…and feared. Naruto's friends had grown to include Kurenai, Shizune, Tsunade, Anko, Ibiki, Genma, Guy, Asuma, Konohamaru, Udon, Moegi, and even Ebisu. Once more…Gaara had absolutely no one. He was alone…alone and feared and hated and…and without _anyone at all_.

Naruto felt anger blossom in his chest, and he clenched his fists so tight that his nails cut deep into his skin. Blood trickled along his fingers and palm…and he felt his vision flicker. His eyes had grown red, slitted…and his canines elongated…and his whisker marks were thicker.

Chiyo sensed a change in the boy…and watched carefully as he landed. _'Th-this kid…'_ She thought…and watched as he shot forward with an explosive amount of Chakra. He shot far ahead, and Sakura cried out, "NARUTO! WAIT!" Naruto didn't heed her words…but continued to soar far ahead.

Chiyo was silent for a moment. Then she decided to ask Kakashi. "Why is that boy…trying so hard to save Gaara? Why? He's not even from the same village."

Kakashi glanced at her, expecting the next question. "And…who…who in the world is he?"

Kakashi looked ahead, and kicked up his pace. There was no way he could catch up with Naruto…but he could try. "He's also a Jinchuriki…and the host of the Kyuubi. The Nine-tailed Demon Fox is sealed within his body." He said, and Chiyo gasped. No!

"Naruto probably doesn't have any special feelings for Suna…but Gaara is a Jinchuriki as well. So Naruto understands Gaara a lot better than anyone from the Sand Village ever could. When it comes to how Jinchuriki have been treated…all the villages are pretty much the same in that regard. That's why Naruto has to save Gaara. Whether it's Konoha, or Suna…it means absolutely nothing to him. To Naruto…Gaara…is a comrade who shares his pain. You see…Naruto's dream is to become Hokage. When he heard that Gaara had become Kazekage, it made him frustrated. But, he was also sincerely happy for Gaara." Kakashi said. Chiyo listened with extreme interest. She didn't know the Nine-tails had ever been in the possession of Konoha.

"Naruto possesses a special power." Kakashi said…and Chiyo was confused. "What?" She asked.

"Without exchanging many words…he can strike up a friendship with anyone. It's his gift." He said…and Chiyo understood how he became friends with Gaara.

Chiyo sighed. "I've lived a long time, Kakashi. I've seen many things…and I've learned the ways of the world according to what I've seen. And because I've found that Alliances with others are mere formalities…we needed resources to protect our village. The Jutsu…that sealed Shukaku inside Gaara. I did it." Kakashi looked at her without any emotion. "I did it to protect the village…and the villagers suffered for it. And now the village I avoided and didn't make an alliance with…is trying to save us. All the things that I've done, may have very well been mistakes. Even worse, I've become weak and started giving up easily on things. Kakashi…the Young have so much potential. I envy them…" She said…and Kakashi smiled.

"No, no. Your life has only just begun. You're still quite young." He reassured her. They both knew he was lying. She laughed at his blatant lie…and enjoyed the young man. "Wahahahahaha!" She laughed, and Kakashi grinned. "That's true…there may still be something I can do…" She said.

--

Team Guy was silent…and contemplating how to carry out their job. "What are we gonna do?" Asked Lee. They had stared at the rock for a good five minutes now.

"First we have to break this barrier!" Guy said…proud to have discovered that.

Tenten shook her head. "But _HOW?_" She asked. She had no knowledge of seals…and she knew that none of the others did either. They would have to wait…

Suddenly, a familiar voice said, "Well, to start, it's a five seal barrier."

They all turned…and saw Kakashi, Sakura, Naruto, Shikamaru…and an old lady land next to them. Neji gasped, and Tenten's eyes grew wide at the sight of Naruto. Lee's eyes grew wide as well…and Might Guy simply grinned. "You're late, Kakashi."

Kakashi laughed slightly. Well, you see…we ran into a little trouble along the way." He scratched the back of his head, and shrugged.

Lee yelled, "NARUTO-KUN! SAKURA-CHAN! SHIKAMARU-KUN!"

Naruto, his eyes red and slitted, fangs protruding slightly…and his whisker marks thick on his face, rasped out, "HEY!" He didn't smile.

Chiyo looked skeptically at Kakashi. "A little trouble? You don't mean me, do you Kakashi?"

Neji allowed a trickle of sweat to run down his face and murmured, "…Naruto…"

Sakura smiled. "Everyone's here. So you arrived ahead of us!" Tenten smiled and walked over, nodded. "Yeah…but who's the old lady?"

Shikamaru sighed. "She's an advisor from the Sand village. Her name is Chiyo."

Guy grinned and did a quick thumbs-up. "YOSH! Let's do this Kakashi!"

Kakashi nodded. "Right."

Pakkun spoke up. "Well, Kakashi…I guess I won't be of anymore help. I'll just get in the way."

Kakashi nodded. "Thanks, Pakkun." Pakkun just disappeared in an explosion of smoke, not bothering to say anything else.

"Yosh….Kakashi, our first order of business is this barrier. How do we get past it?" Guy asked.

Kakashi rubbed his head. "Well, a five-seal barrier is established by placing five talismans in the nearby area. A single Character, 'forbidden', is inscribed on each of them. One is obviously right in front of us…but the other four are hidden. We can't do anything about the barrier until we peel them all off."

Naruto had managed to calm himself down…so as not to alarm his friends by his looks. His eyes flickered to blue…and his teeth and whisker-marks went back to normal. "So…where are they? Y'know…the other four?" He asked…and Kakashi turned to Neji. He didn't even have to say a word.

"Got it." Neji said, and then activated his Kekkai Genkai. The veins around his eyes popped up, and cracks appeared in his pale irises. He looked up above them, withdrawing his vision to several hundred miles…high above them. He looked for a moment….and then grinned. "I see them."

"One's on a rock 500 meters to the North-east, another on a tree by a rive…350 meters South-southeast, Then there's a cliff wall, about 650 meters to the North-West. And last…is one located in a wood, about 800 meters southwest from here." Neji said.

"Great! That means that they're still in range of the wireless radios! I've been wanting to try these out. Take these guys…Neji will guide us straight to the talismans." Guy said, bringing out a set of wireless radios. Lee, Tenten, Neji, Guy, and Kakashi all attached them to their throats. Guy ordered, "Check in on frequency 170."

They all dialed their mikes to the frequency, and then checked in. "Neji, check.", "Tenten, check.", "Guy, check!", they called…and then Lee spoke into his calmly. "ROCK LEE READY TO GO!!"

His voice blasted into their earpieces, making them all scream and go rigid with pain and shock. Kakashi went as stiff as a board…his hair standing straight up.

Guy gasped, "L-Lee…y-your mike volume! It's…too loud!"

Neji and Tenten held their ears, grimacing in pain. Rock Lee looked down at the dial, and saw it was on ten. "MY APOLOGIES!" He said…and blasted in their ears again. Kakashi fell over into the water, and Might Guy spazzed out. Lee dialed down his mike, and then bowed.

"I'm ready." He said, and Kakashi slowly floated to the surface of the rive and stood.

"All right…seeing as you're the faster team…we're counting on you." Kakashi said. Guy nodded.

"YOSH! TEAM GUY, LET US BURST WITH THE FLAME OF YOUTH!" He called, and put his hand out. Lee immediately put his hand over his Sensei's…and after a moment, Tenten did too. Neji just glared at the pile of hands.

Might Guy cleared his throat, eyes closed as he held the pose he was striking. He cleared it again…and a vein throbbed in Neji's temple. "No." Neji said. Guy did it again, and Tenten looked pleadingly up at Neji. Guy cleared his throat yet again. "No matter how many times you do it, I'm not putting my hand in." Neji said crossly, and frowned. Guy did it again, and Neji's eye twitched. Guy took a breath in and was about to clear his throat again…when Neji yelled. "ALL RIGHT! I'LL DO IT! JUST STOP!"

Naruto chuckled, and Neji sighed as he put his hand on the pile. Might Guy grinned. "YOSH! LET'S GO! SCATTER!" He yelled, and immediately Team Guy disappeared as they jumped away.

Kakashi nodded, and jumped onto the boulder, sticking with Chakra. He knelt above the Seal, and placed his hands on it…waiting for the signal. Naruto glared at the rock, clenching his teeth. "Gaara…" He muttered, and Shikamaru eyed his friend. Now all they had to do was wait.

Neji landed on a boulder in front of his seal, and glanced at Lee with his Byakugan. "Lee…head a little more to the south. Good…now to your left!" He said…and grinned when Lee found it. "Got it, Neji-kun!"

Tenten found hers on the tree by the river…and Might Guy got his on the cliff wall. "Got it Neji!" Tenten reported.

"Good! Now…Peal Away!" Guy yelled. And immediately, all the seals were ripped away.

--

"Okay…here we go! Go with the Switch Hook Entry!" Kakashi yelled, and ripped off the seal. He sprang off the boulder as Sakura charged it. "HERE I COME! YEEEE-AAAH!" She yelled, and drew back her fist. She slammed her fist into the boulder…and immediately it shattered into thousands of pieces…and fell down.

--

Might Guy heard the explosion in the distance and nodded to himself. "Sounds like it worked." He reported…and then heard a noise behind him. He looked, and was surprised to see a lump grow on the side of the cliff. It grew, and grew…and then suddenly it morphed.

"Uh….Neji…" He called, and Neji growled.

"Damn…same here." He said.

Facing Neji, Tenten, Lee, and Guy were replicas of themselves. They looked exactly alike…and Tenten hissed, "What is this?"

Lee frowned at his replica. Were his eyebrows really _that_ big? He'd have to take care of those…"I'm guessing it's a trap." Lee said.

"I see…so breaking the barrier triggers the trap." Guy said, facing down at his clone.

"They used the five-seal barrier to split us up…and they also made sure we'd be occupied. Very smart." Neji said, glaring at his clone with his Byakugan. It wasn't a KageBunshin…that was for sure. He had way too much chakra to be a Shadow Clone.

--

As soon as all the rubble was out of the way…Kakashi pointed to the entrance twice. The signal to go. Immediately, they all sprang inside, prepared for the worst.

What Naruto saw…was in his mind, the worst. Laying on the ground was Gaara, eyes closed. Sitting upon his chest and legs were the hunch-backed Sasori…and Deidara. Next to Gaara stood a large clay bird, but it at least wasn't sitting on Gaara.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. _'We're too late…'_ He thought.

Chiyo locked eyes with Sasori…and glared. Her grandson was indeed here.

"Now…let's see…which one is the Jinchuriki host, hmmm?" Deidara asked, talking to Sasori.

"Well…when I asked Itachi which one it was…the bastard only told me it was 'The one that bursts in and barks first.'" Sasori grumbled, and Deidara shrugged. They would just have to wait and see.

Then…Deidara fully noticed the five shinobi. "Itachi said there were only four!" He cried, and Sasori growled.

"The fifth must have hidden." He grumbled again…and Shikamaru smirked. He was the wild card…and they had no idea who he was or what skills he possessed.

Sakura watched Naruto…her heart heavy as she realized how this would hurt Naruto. He stared in shock at Gaara…and then drew back his upper lip. He ground his teeth, and started to shake…and Sakura would have hugged him and held him close if they hadn't faced enemies. Naruto's whisker marks thickened, and she saw his eyes switch suddenly to the feral red…full of hate. His canine's elongated…and she shuddered at the sight.

"YOU! YOU'RE DEAD MEAT!" He roared at the Akatsuki. Angry tears of denial started to well up. He refused to believe Gaara was dead.

Sasori and Deidara chuckled. "That would be him then." Sasori said.

"Looks like it…" Deidara murmured.

Naruto looked at the Kazekage, angry. "Gaara! Why the hell are you just lying there! Come on!" Gaara didn't even stir. "DAMN IT! GET UP!" He roared…and his voice seemed so much more guttural.

Sakura felt tears well up in her eyes as she watched Naruto deny Gaara's demise…and she felt her heart break as she saw Naruto. "DAMN IT GAARA! WHAT ARE YOU, DEAF! GET…UP!!" He screamed, and Kakashi's soft voice called out.

"Naruto….stop it." He softly chided.

Chiyo looked sadly at the fallen Kazekage…and felt sadness for the dead boy, as well as the young blond. Kakashi murmured softly to Naruto, "You know full well…"

Deidara laughed. "Indeed! I should think you'd know…that's he's already dead. Hmmm?" He punched the corpse in the chest to emphasize his point. There was no reaction from the Sand Ninja…and Sakura and Shikamaru flinched when they looked at Naruto.

His lips were curled back, revealing his pointed teeth, and his pupils had shrunk. His eyes were wide, tears flowing down his cheeks. He looked every bit like a demon at that moment…and Sakura hastily wiped away her tears. She couldn't afford to break right now. She was a ninja…a warrior…

Naruto rasped, "Give…him…back."

Deidara and Sasori didn't move. They simply stared at the boy. Gaara jumped at them. "GIVE ME GAARA! YOU STINKING…!!" He roared, and Kakashi immediately restrained the boy.

"Cool it, Naruto! Charge in without thinking…and you'll get us all killed." Kakashi growled. Naruto didn't answer, but stayed glaring at the two Akatsuki.

Sasori looked at the corpse, and then nodded to himself. "I'll hold on to the body, since it appears the Jinchuriki host is burning for it." He told his partner. Kakashi only eyed them with caution.

Deidara looked at his partner. "Sasori…I know this isn't what you want to hear…but I'll handle the Jinchuriki host. Hmmm?"

"Listen. Our Quota is one apiece. If I were you, Deidara…I wouldn't push my luck. The one-tailed gave you enough of a fight. This one…is the _nine_ tails." Sasori said.

Deidara grinned. "An artist…must always seek greater stimulation to prevent his skills from growing dull. This host of the fox…from what I hear, he's pretty strong…hmmm?"

"What? Those Pyrotechnics of yours…art? Heh…art is a work of beauty, captured and left for posterity…it is the beauty of all eternity." Sasori rasped out.

"Quite so! Sasori…as a fellow artist I certainly respect your perspective. But, in my opinion, art is transient beauty that fades after just a moment. Hmmm?" He said, and Naruto clenched his fists. They were frustrating him.

Sakura frowned at the two Akatsuki who were arguing. "What's with them?" She asked. Shikamaru just shrugged. He had no idea.

Naruto spat out, "ENOUGH!" Then, he reached into the pouch attached to the back of his belt. He pulled out a scroll….and unraveled it. Immediately, a windmill shuriken was summoned, and he grabbed it. He hurled it at the two, and neither looked at the attack as it was coming.

As it neared Sasori, a large metal tail sprang out from beneath his robe and smacked the Shuriken away harmlessly. The shuriken clattered to the floor uselessly, and Sasori's tail waved in the air lazily. Sasori continued to argue. "Deidara…you fool. Are you trying to make me angry?!"

Deidara shrugged. "You see? I did tell you that you wouldn't like what I was going to say, did I not? Hmmm?"

Kakashi only shook his head at the two Akatsuki who were acting like children. Sakura thought nervously, _'He didn't even look…'_

Naruto growled, and Chiyo thought, _'As I feared…his handling of the puppet remains unchanged.'_

"My art is the explosion itself. Compared to your grotesque puppet show, well…hah, it's not even in the same league!" Deidara said, rising. His clay bird grabbed Gaara into its mouth.

Sasori didn't even blink. His tail darted towards Deidara's throat…and Deidara sprang backwards. "Sheesh." Sasori muttered…but didn't pursue his partner.

"See ya!" Deidara said, and his bird sprang into the air and caught him.

The bird swallowed Gaara, placing him completely in its mouth. It then soared out of the cavern, and Naruto ran after it. "WAIT!" He roared, and Deidara laughed. "Perfect!"

Kakashi cursed. "Damn…as always, Naruto can't help himself!" He turned to Sakura and Shikamaru and Chiyo. "Naruto and I will handle the guy outside. You guys deal with this creep! Just don't do anything rash. Wait until team Guy gets here!" Kakashi yelled…and then sprang out of the cave.

Kakashi stopped next to Naruto, and they both stared at the circling bird. "Guy…come in. Can you get back here immediately?" He asked.

Guy was breathing heavily when he replied. "We would if we could…but we're a bit stuck right now. It'll take a while!"

Kakashi sighed and raised his headband, revealing his Sharingan. "There's no time for delays, Naruto. We have to finish him now…and help the others."

Naruto smirked. With his current appearance…he looked like a devil. "Heh…Kakashi-sensei…I'm not going to hold back at all on this creep. Back me up." Kakashi watched as Naruto took off his backpack, and unzipped it. He hastily handed Kakashi a picture to hold as he grabbed something out of his pack, and Kakashi looked in surprise at the photo. It was of Kushina and Minato…it almost made Kakashi forget to watch Deidara.

Naruto grabbed something green and then something white. He hastily put them on, and Kakashi went wide-eyed as he watched. Naruto put on a green Jonin vest…and then put on something that made Kakashi's heart stop for a moment. Naruto was now wearing his father's white robe…the one with the flames dancing around its bottom hem. He looked almost like his father…except with red eyes and dark whisker marks.

Deidara gave a start as well. "What the hell?" He asked, and was surprised when Naruto threw a peculiar looking kunai up at him. It had three prongs…and all the legends he had heard of the Yellow Flash quickly sprang through his mind. After all…he was from the Village Hidden in the Rocks. They had been the enemies of Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash. This boy…he had heard from Itachi that he was the son of the Fourth Hokage…but that the boy never knew of his true heritage. But apparently, that had all changed in the past couple of years.

He was so startled by all this information flying through his brain, that he forgot to maneuver his bird away from the kunai. The Kunai stuck into his bird, and then next thing Deidara knew…Naruto was standing in front of him on top of his bird's head. A yellow streak had followed him, and Deidara felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He nearly pissed himself. The boy had used the Leaping Thunder God Jutsu…one of the strongest Jutsu ever used. Deidara wouldn't stand a chance. It was created to be used for close combat…and Naruto would be able to reach Deidara no matter where he was. And Deidara was a long-range fighter…not a close-range fighter.

All his thoughts were halted…when Naruto punched him in the face and sent him flying off his bird. He cried out in pain, and hurtled towards the earth. He quickly summoned his bird to catch him…but he was surprised when Kakashi leapt through the air and grabbed him instead. He was instantly set upon by Naruto…who wrapped his hands around Deidara's neck as they plummeted towards the ground. Deidara choked, and gagged…and tried to cry out. Kakashi had his hands wrapped around Deidara's torso, pinning his remaining arm so that he couldn't perform any real seals.

Suddenly, when they were about to hit the ground, Naruto caught them with a pile of Shadow Clones. His hands were removed from Deidara's neck due to the impact, and Kakashi tumbled free. Deidara immediately started to punch and kick, destroying Shadow Clones. However…he was promptly tackled by hundreds of them.

Naruto shoved his Shadow Clones aside, and grabbed Deidara by the neck and hoisted him to his feet. "You…are…dead." Naruto hissed, and Kakashi walked over. He wasn't going to stop Naruto. After all…the Akatsuki were all 'S' ranked criminals. They were wanted dead.

Deidara's throat suddenly squished in Naruto's hand…and then turned grey. The rest of his body sagged into a pile of clay, and Kakashi jumped back and yelled, "MOVE!"

Deidara, having used a unique clone skill and then substituted with it, was watching from the heavy brush around them. He held up half a hand sign, and then detonated his clone. It exploded, throwing Kakashi to the edge of the cliff that they had fallen upon. Kakashi managed to stop his roll before he fell off…but there was no sign of Naruto. Deidara cringed. Oops. He wasn't supposed to kill the Jinchuriki. He was supposed to capture him. And he had just used a rather big explosion…that had most likely incinerated the boy.

He turned, and was about to sneak away when he found himself face to face with a very angry Naruto. Deidara gulped. "Oh shit." He said…and was promptly launched backwards by a very powerful punch. Kakashi had started to sprint towards the noises, when Deidara was thrown out of the woods and into the slight clearing where they were. Deidara tumbled to a stop at Kakashi's feet…and grunted in pain. His face couldn't take much more abuse.

He stood, and found his hand grabbed by Kakashi. It was promptly broken…and Deidara screamed in pain. So much for being able to do hand-signs. Deidara made a poor attempt to attack Kakashi with kicks, but the pain fogged his senses and made him lose his balance. He fell over, and looked up in fear at Kakashi. Naruto suddenly appeared next to Kakashi, and rasped, "I lied Kakashi. He's not even worth half my strength…so I won't even strain to go all out."

Kakashi nodded, and glared at the unfortunate missing Rock Nin. "Deidara…any last words?"

Deidara spat at the Copy Ninja. "Ptui! Screw you." Kakashi didn't even flinch as the glob of spit landed on his vest. He turned to Naruto. "Do you have him?"

Naruto nodded, and motioned off to his left. Deidara looked, and saw two Naruto Shadow Clones cradling the lifeless body of Gaara. Beside them was the cut off head of the clay bird. Deidara watched as Naruto formed a Rasengan in his right hand…and knew he was about to breathe his last.

Suddenly, Kakashi tackled Naruto. Right where they had stood, a large vine exploded upwards. Deidara grinned. "Zetsu." He murmured, and was surprised to find himself already in the half man half plant Akatsuki member's arms.

"You got careless." Zetsu's white half admonished.

"Or you're just too weak." Cackled his black half.

Deidara repressed a shiver as the black half spoke. Zetsu was kind of freaky, but he was strong. Deidara was thankful he had been around the area. "Thanks, either way." Deidara said, and Zetsu nodded. Zetsu used his own unique Jutsu…and slowly sank into the ground with Deidara…disappearing.

Kakashi and Naruto had seen the plant-like Akatsuki. They both shivered at the sight. That was on freaky looking Ninja. Naruto sighed. "He got away."

"Naruto…I thought you didn't know the Leaping Thunder God Jutsu?" Kakashi asked. He had seen Naruto throw the three-pronged Kunai…and then Naruto move almost instantaneously to the top of the bird head.

"I don't. It was a bluff. I doubt that this guy knew any techniques that could have seen through it…like Itachi could. It was just to show Akatsuki that I'm nowhere near as weak as they remember." Naruto said.

But then, he walked over to Gaara…and gently placed a hand on the Kazekage's face. It was cracked, but that was only because it was the sand Armor. Naruto started to shake once his hand touched the smooth sand…and it finally struck deep. Gaara…was dead.

Naruto threw back his head and howled, shaking uncontrollably. His hands were twitching, and tears spilled down his cheeks. His vision flickered…and Naruto knew he had changed back. Despair smothered him, and he bent over the fallen form of Gaara. "Gaara…I'm so sorry. I'm…" Naruto tried to say, but couldn't get past the sobs that racked his body.

"Naruto…" Kakashi said softly, walking up to the blond. Naruto whipped his head around to face his teacher, and Kakashi was struck by how much he looked like his father without the red eyes and really thick whisker-marks.

"I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei…I-I can't ever save the ones I love. I always fail my comrades. First Sasuke…a-and now Gaara." Naruto cried, and Kakashi felt sorrow for the boy.

"No…Naruto. You never failed them. You did your best for them…and they would understand that. It's just the way of the world, Naruto. Unfortunately, the hero doesn't always manage to save his friends…" Kakashi murmured, and knelt next to Naruto and wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulder.

Naruto hugged the corpse of Gaara…and whispered, "I'm sorry…Gaara. After all you've been through…I couldn't get here fast enough to save you. Please forgive me." Teardrops landed on Gaara's face…staining the sand a darker brown.

"Naruto…make a group of Shadow Clones to watch over him. We need to go assist Sakura, and Shikamaru and Chiyo. We still have one other person to deal with." Kakashi said, pulling Naruto to his feet. Naruto quickly made a group of six Shadow Clones to protect Gaara…and then turned to Kakashi. He wouldn't let his other friends end up like Gaara. He would let them down.

"Kakashi-sensei…what about Team Guy?" Naruto suddenly asked, as the thoughts of his other friends entered his mind.

"They said that they were a little stuck…and with how Guy sounded…he might have been fighting someone." Kakashi said.

"Then, Kakashi-sensei…I think you or me should go back them up while the other helps Sakura and Shikamaru and Chiyo." Naruto said. His Shadow Clones set up a protective perimeter around Gaara's corpse and nodded in agreement.

"Fine…I'll go help Team Guy. You go help Sakura." Kakashi said. He wanted to be the one to fight Akatsuki...but Naruto would need to prove to himself he wouldn't let his friends down…especially Sakura.

"Right. Good Luck Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said, and sprinted towards the direction of the cave. His clones wished him luck as well, and he ran towards the Northeast. He would help Neji first, then use Neji to find and help the others.

As soon as Kakashi had jumped out of the cave…all three Shinobi stood still. They were sizing up their opponent…and right then they could tell he was going to be difficult. "Don't worry, children. I know how to deal with him…just do as I say, and we'll be fine." Chiyo murmured, and the two looked at her.

"But you, boy, I don't know your skills. I know Sakura's a healer, and she has brute physical strength…but what about you?" She asked.

They gathered close together and whispered for a moment….and Sasori grumbled under his breath, "I bet she's making me wait on purpose, because she _knows_ I hate waiting.

Chiyo nodded to herself as Shikamaru filled her in on his skills…and then Sakura told her he was a tactician and a genius. A lazy genius…but still a genius. This boy's skills would be perfect against Sasori. But first…she had to see what Hiruko had under the cloak.

"Just watch and learn Children." She murmured, and brought a string out of her sleeve. On the string were at least ten Kunai Knives…and after a moment of her straightening the string out, the Kunai knives floated in the air while pointing at Sasori.

She pulled the string out of their handles…and then they shot forward. Sasori's tail blocked most of them, but three ripped his cloak. He glared at the old woman. "Humph. If you wanna play like that…" He growled, and tore his cloak off.

Shikamaru and Sakura saw the body revealed, and Shikamaru shivered. It was a man, at least it looked like a man, but the man had a left arm that looked like it had some sort of wooden mace at the end. His crouched like a spider, and they shuddered when they saw his back. His back…was carved into a glaring face with its jaw wide open. Out of the jaw extended the tail. He was grotesque.

Chiyo sighed. "So he _has_ been improved. This is Hiruko…Sasori's favorite puppet. "

Shikamaru looked at the puppet with a mix of interest…and slight disgust. Something about the puppet just disgusted him. Sakura nodded at Chiyo. "I can sort of tell that's not his real body. Where is he? Puppet Masters operate their puppets off-stage, right?"

Chiyo sighed. "Puppet Masters are vulnerable to close-combat attacks…since they have to fiddle with their puppets so much. Sasori knew this, and hated it. So, he made a one-of-a-kind puppet…Hiruko. Hiruko is his favorite puppet, and serves as both his armor and his weapon. You see…Sasori is inside the puppet." Chiyo said.

Shikamaru glared at the puppet, and then looked to Chiyo. "So…how do we deal with him?"

"We break Hiruko…then we can take on the actual Sasori." Chiyo said.

"Great…sounds easy." Sakura said, flexing her fist. Shikamaru popped his neck, and prepared to attack.

"NOT so fast." Chiyo said, and they all froze. "You see…what makes Hiruko so strong is his mechanisms. We don't know where his attacks may come from. It's basically a walking, attacking booby trap." Chiyo admonished.

Shikamaru sighed. "What a pain in the-" Sakura interrupted him. "Chiyo…what do we do? You're familiar with Sasori and his puppets…tell us what to do."

Chiyo took off her cap…and let down her hair. "Hm. Well, we have to get close enough to break Hiruko with a physical attack. I'm not strong enough…and I doubt that boy is strong enough to break it either." She said.

"But you, Sakura…you have the brute strength of Tsunade. You can break him easily. The catch is…you have to dodge each and every attack he throws your way." Chiyo said.

"Because of the poison?" Sakura asked. Chiyo nodded.

Shikamaru leaned back slightly, sighing. They were going about this all wrong. They could just do it the easy way. He let them deliberate amongst themselves a bit longer, allowing them to hatch their plan. Then…he laughed.

They turned to him, confused. "What, Shikamaru?" Sakura asked.

"You know…you're making things so much more intricate than you need to. It's too…complex. You women always do that. Just let me take care of that troublesome puppet. You get Sasori…and I'll help." Shikamaru sighed.

Sakura and Chiyo glared at him. "And how do you expect to break the puppet? Sakura said you're almost strictly a long-distance to medium-distance attacker!" Chiyo asked.

Shikamaru dug into the pouch on his back…and produced a round object. It looked like a round marble wrapped in paper. However, Sakura immediately recognized it. "What will that do?" She asked.

Shikamaru grinned slightly. "Well…just face Sasori and find out."

They both did as he said…and waited. Shikamaru applied some chakra to the little orb. He then tossed it casually behind him…and waited. Sasori called out, "So you finally stopped yakking? Are you going to attack?"

Shikamaru called out nonchalantly, "Yeah…we're attacking. This is the opening move." He said, and Sasori chuckled. He didn't see anything.

The orb behind Shikamaru suddenly exploded into a giant flash, but it didn't fade. It was a flash-bomb, one that lasted for exactly five seconds. The light blinded Sasori as he looked towards the three Shinobi…and then had a second effect. Shikamaru, Chiyo, and Sakura's Shadows extended thanks to the intense light and enveloped Sasori. Shikamaru grinned in the bright light that made him look like a living Shadow. "**Nara Secret Jutsu: Shadow Pressing Palm Jutsu!**" He called, and suddenly the shadows all surrounded Sasori…and took the shape of a giant clawed hand. The shadow seemed to swallow Sasori whole…and then it compressed. A dark shape rocketed from the shadow just barely in time. With a giant cracking sound…the puppet was crushed.

The flare ended, and the lighting went back to normal. Hiruko, once a formidable looking puppet…was now nothing but a pile of splinters on the ground. The black shape that had shot from the puppet was a cloak, and it rose. A soft, almost feminine, voice called out, "Well, well. A Shadow-Manipulator. How interesting."

Shikamaru's breathing was coming out a bit heavier than normal…and sweat beaded his brow. That had taken a fourth of his chakra because of the amount it took to manipulate the shadow and give it physical force. But, he was fine for now.

Sakura and Chiyo both stared at Shikamaru with wide eyes. That was completely, and wonderfully, unexpected. He had crushed Hiruko with one move! Chiyo grinned. "Well…it looks like having you will be our ace-in-the-hole."

Sasori, the black cloaked figure, removed the cloak that covered his body and head. "Hehehe…that was an amazing display…but don't think for a minute that this'll be easy." Smirked a young-redheaded Akatsuki member. His hair matched the clouds on his outfit, and he had soft green eyes. He had a slight smirk on his lips, and Chiyo gasped.

"No…you haven't aged a day…not in all these years. Age hasn't affected you…" Chiyo murmured, and Sakura's eyes widened. Shikamaru squinted his eyes. This boy…had left Suna twenty or so years ago. He was twenty-ish when he left, so he should have been in his forties. But he looked like he was still twenty.

Sasori chuckled. "Let me show you my favorite puppet. Hiruko was only second best. You see…_my_ art is much better than that fool Deidara's. My art…is the art of eternity. The very first thing I do after I kill a worthy opponent…is pull out their entrails. Then I skin the entire body clean…then I drain every single drop of blood from the body. I add a few preservatives…and then I just string up what's left. Then…we have a brand new marionette…an ageless and eternal beauty. Who knows…I _might_ just let you join my collection." Sasori boasted…and then showed them a scroll clutched in his right hand. He unrolled it a bit…until just the Symbol for three was shown.

"He was extremely hard to finish, but that's what makes him so special to me." Sasori chuckled, and then the scroll exploded in a puff of smoke. A form began to show, and Chiyo recognized it. "No….Sasori, you didn't!" She cried.

Sasori was silent, and manipulated his new puppet carefully yet expertly. The puppet crouched, and Chiyo growled in anger. Shikamaru and Sakura both asked, "What is it?"

Chiyo clenched her jaw. "That…is the Third Kazekage…"

A brown puppet, wearing a shabby black cloak and who had his spiky black hair slightly pulled back into a ponytail…was draped across Sasori's frame. He was a puppet…but the thought that he had once been a man made Shikamaru nauseous.

"But how could he have…?" Sakura asked, sweating slightly.

"I don't know. It was more than ten years ago that the third Kazekage Vanished without a trace. So it was you, Sasori?!" Chiyo yelled, and Sasori regarded his grandmother calmly.

"You're so old…you're going to die soon, and you're retired…why do you trouble yourself?" Sasori asked without emotion.

"BECAUSE! You degrading yourself…becoming a criminal…that's one thing. But betraying the village and participating in the deaths of three of the Kazekage? That's something else entirely!" Chiyo screeched. She couldn't believe her own grandchild would do this.

"Three?" Sakura asked. There was the Third, and then Gaara…but who was the third Kazekage who had been killed?

"Orochimaru was the one who actually killed the Fourth Kazekage…but Sasori was involved from the start. And now Gaara…and then the Third…that is unacceptable." Chiyo said.

"I didn't get involved with the Fourth. It was one of my agents. But yes…Orochimaru and the Akatsuki go way back…we've done some work together. Orochimaru and I used to be partners…" Sasori said, calm and emotionless.

Instantly…Sakura's mind was filled with images. Back when Orochimaru first bit Sasuke on the neck…when Sasuke left the village…and when Naruto was carried back to Konoha by Kakashi with a gaping hole in his shoulder. She ground her teeth. "You…you worked with that snake bastard!" She growled out. Chiyo and Shikamaru both glanced at the girl in surprise.

"It's time to finish up here." Sasori chuckled…and threw the Third Kazekage at the three Shinobi. He aimed for the black-haired boy first, activating the Kazekage's hidden arm right arm mechanism. Blades popped out of the forearm, thick and dangerous….and coated with Poison.

Shikamaru tried to dodge on his own…but the Kazekage marionette was fast. Shikamaru grunted, "Damn…" as he threw up his arms to guard against the attack.

The Kazekage struck out, and Sakura sprang in towards Shikamaru. She punched the extended arm at the elbow, and applied enough Chakra to cause a crater the size of a small house. The elbow shattered, as did the blades, into toothpick-sized kindling. She then spun, attempting a spin snap-kick at the Kazekage's chest to render him useless.

Sasori laughed in joy. These brats were interesting. He manipulated the Third's skeleton…and made him jump back so he was missed by Sakura's attack. "Here we...!" He started to yell…when a massive explosion sounded from outside.

Everyone froze, Sasori included, and looked outside the massive cave entrance. A giant blast of smoke and flame belched from the cliffs…and Sasori muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. "It seems Deidara…has started." Sasori said, and then turned his attention back to the three shinobi. He twitched two fingers, activating a hidden trap on the Third Kazekage's left arm. His arm sprang up into different panels, each one with a strange scribbled formula on it. Suddenly, from the panels sprang arms. Twenty arms per panel…and then some of those arms had panels, so it quickly multiplied until it was a giant pillar of clawing hands. It rocketed towards Chiyo…and then split in three to attack all of the Shinobi.

Chiyo cursed, and was about to cast Chakra strings to move the two young Shinobi when Shikamaru tossed three fist-sized paper balls. They collided with the arm pillars, and exploded. Pieces of wood flew everywhere…but the pillars still flew at them. The summoning of arms had stopped…stopping its expansion. Each Pillar…stopped an inch from each Shinobi's face.

Sasori frowned. That boy…was either extremely lucky…or extremely smart. Shikamaru, who had just done his quickest calculation of growth rates in his life…smirked. He had figured out when to throw the bombs…to stop their growth just in time. He then nodded at Sakura…who grinned. She punched her pillar, channeling and sending her Chakra surging through the arms…until it reached the Third Kazekage puppet. It's left arm exploded into smithereens…along with all three pillars of arms. Sakura smirked at Sasori, who glared at the Shinobi teenagers.

Chiyo smirked. She didn't have to do anything…these two could manage Sasori fine. For now, at least. She nodded at the two. "Good Job." She complimented, and the two teenagers crouched slightly in preparation for Sasori's next salvo. As long as they could defeat his attacks, they would eventually exhaust his attacks and win. They just had to play it defensive for now and wait for backup.

Suddenly…they all stiffened as a blood-curdling howl reached their ears. Sakura immediately recognized who it was that was screaming. It was Naruto. She could tell it wasn't a scream of pain, at least not physical pain from a wound…but a scream of anguish. She was chilled at the thought that maybe…maybe Kakashi had just died.

She shook her head, and cleared the thought. But the thought of Kakashi, charred and bloody from Deidara's explosion…wouldn't leave her mind. Sasori immediately took advantage of their distraction. He quickly initiated an attack from the Third Kazekage.

The Kazekage's jaw sprang open, and out shot two spears. They were made of hard, black sand that formed itself into a substance sharper than steel. It shot towards the two teenagers, who had glanced back through the cave entrance. Chiyo cried out, "Shikamaru! Sakura!"

They both turned, and saw the attack. However the spears were too fast, and there was nothing they could do. Chiyo quickly removed two scrolls from her sleeves and summoned two puppets that she thought would have the strongest effect on Sasori. She had had them ready to go, ready to summon at the first sight of Sasori…but revealing them now to save the children was much better. She summoned them, and they dashed out of the smoke so fast they were just blurs. They stopped in front of Shikamaru and Sakura, and took the spears straight to the chest.

Sasori looked at his grandmother with a flicker of interest. "Oh…those."

Sakura and Shikamaru looked at the puppet with awe. They were fast. One was a sandy-haired blond man with piercing green eyes…and the other was a woman with long black hair and loving eyes.

"Yes…these are the first puppets you ever made for your 'collection'. Your mother…and your father." Chiyo stated, and Sakura and Shikamaru both almost retched at the thought. This…sick man had murdered and made his parents into marionettes for him to control?

Sasori chuckled. "Aw…those bring back pleasant memories."

Sakura clenched her fists in anger at his mocking tone and yelled, "YOU SICK BASTARD!"

Sasori didn't reply, but grinned. He launched another salvo of hard sand spears, and this time everyone dodged them with ease. Sasori slowly started to maneuver them to a position he wanted them in. He attacked with the Sandaime Kazekage's shattered arms and with his iron sand spears, always seemingly thwarted by the teenage Shinobi and his Mother and Father controlled by Chiyo. However, he had driven them into the position he wanted…having their backs to Hiruko's remains.

He casually launched ten Sand spears from the Sandaime's mouth, drawing their attention, and then twitched his pinky finger on his right hand. Hiruko's tail, badly bent but not destroyed…rose into the air behind the Leaf Shinobi. He targeted the Pink-haired girl…because she had called him names. That…and he was sure it would dishearten both of the other Shinobi.

He swung his hands, sending the Sandaime at them in a frontal assault…and Hiruko's tail towards the pink-haired girl. The poisoned tip of Hiruko's tail glinted in the dim lighting, and Sasori smiled in satisfaction as it zoomed towards the unprotected back of the young woman.

Suddenly, an angry roar reached their ears, "RASENGAN!"

A yellow flash of light blurred towards Sakura, intercepting Hiruko's tail. Hiruko's tail was wrenched from Sasori's control, twisting and writhing and screeching as it was crumpled and destroyed from the Spiral Chakra Sphere. The tail flew backwards, out of the mouth of the cave and into the river. Everyone stopped, even Sasori this time, to see who had just come to aid the Konoha Shinobi.

The Shinobi parted and saw the back of a blonde-haired man, wearing a white robe with flames circling the bottom hem…and Sakura immediately knew. "Naruto." She gasped.

"Hey…Sakura-chan. You shouldn't let your guard down like that." Naruto said, and turned towards her. His cerulean blue eyes looked deep into hers…and she saw anguish hidden behind anger. Anger, she was sure…that was directed at Sasori.

Sasori frowned at the blond. This was the Jinchuriki host alright…but wearing the Fourth Hokage's trench-coat. He looked amazingly like his father…except for the whisker-marks. "So…I take that Deidara is dead?" Sasori asked. He had wondered why he had heard no more explosions after the first.

"No…the lucky bastard had some help. One of your friends saved him. A man that looked like he was half-plant." Naruto said, and Sasori nodded. So Zetsu had stuck around a little to watch the fights, but was forced to intervene? That spoke volumes about this kid's strength. Deidara was no fool, despite his 'art', and he was actually quite good in fighting. He wasn't apart of Akatsuki for nothing.

"I see…well then…it seems that I must take things up a—urgh!" He cried, as the boy moved. There was a yellow flash, and then the boy appeared in front of him and punched him solidly in the face, sending him flying backwards. The Brat could pack a punch.

Sasori tumbled backwards, and rolled to a stop. He gingerly picked himself up and shook his head. "That was rather foolish." He said, and Naruto grinned. Apparently…the boy thought it was a compliment. Fool.

Sasori twitched his fingers and sent the Sandaime flying at Naruto from Naruto's backside. Sakura cried out, but Naruto didn't even flinch. Right as the Sandaime approached him, he puffed away into non-existence. Sasori's eyes widened and stopped the Sandaime. It was a Shadow Clone.

"Aww…bummer. I wanted to see what your little play-doll could do." Came a playful voice at his right side. Sasori turned in shock and saw Naruto sitting next to him on a rock, legs crossed and in a relaxed pose. Sasori backed up…only to bump into someone.

"I'm not that ugly…am I?" Came Naruto's voice…and Sasori spun and found himself looking at another Naruto.

"Psh…no…you're a ruggedly handsome man." Naruto said…this time from Sasori's left…towards the Sandaime. Sasori looked and found Naruto casually leaning on the Sandaime…complimenting himself.

Sasori shook his head. This boy…was acting like a clown! Suddenly, the Sandaime started to talk. Sasori's eyes widened in shock. "No…_I'm_ a ruggedly handsome man!"

Chiyo, Sakura, and Shikamaru watched as Naruto toyed with the man…and raised their eyebrows when the Sandaime started talking. They had seen Naruto use the art of Transformation and turn into the Sandaime-puppet…just blocking Sasori's view of the real puppet.

Sasori quickly recovered from his surprise. He twitched his fingers, and the Sandaime dispatched the two Shadow Clones next to him. He then zoomed and dispatched the two near Sasori. Sasori hissed in anger at the blond. So these were all shadow Clones. Where was the real one?

"Well…you sure know how to play with dolls." The Taunting Blond said. Sasori spun around, and saw Naruto casually standing behind him. It was amazing…Sasori never even felt his Chakra presence.

Sasori replied to the blonde's jab with one of his own. "So…the Kyuubi has some skill. Amazing how much difference there is in power between the one-tailed and nine-tails."

Naruto narrowed his eyes in anger, and hissed slightly. Naruto punched out, but the time of the Thunder Flicker was over…so Sasori danced nimbly away. He ducked a quick salvo of punches and kicks, taunting eagerly now that he realized how vulnerable the Blonde was to the verbal jabs. "You know…the poor Ichibi practically begged for his life when we began the extraction…" Sasori lied, and was satisfied when the blonde overextended his punch and left himself open. Sasori kicked hard, sending the blonde flying towards his comrades.

"Heh…he tried so hard to fight us…but he was too weak. Like a child. Most likely the weakest of the Kazekage I've ever seen." Sasori lied some more. This Kazekage was extremely strong, with his sand Manipulation…but he had just had bad luck running against Deidara. If it had been Sasori…Sasori would have lost.

"SHUT UP!" Naruto roared, as Sakura and Shikamaru helped him up. Angry tears started to form in his eyes…but he kept them from spilling down his cheeks.

Sasori slowly backed up, giving himself room to attack. He would need to get serious with the Sandaime…and go all out to kill these Shinobi. He quickly fiddled with his fingers, and the Sandaime's jaw shot open. Black sand floated out like a swarm of bugs, and Chiyo growled. "He's done fooling around now. Get ready…"

Naruto and the others braced for the attack. The sand quickly shot out, like bullets homing in on their targets.

Chiyo sprang into action and sent the mother and Father puppets to protect the teenagers. She was out of range, but they weren't. The Mother puppet grabbed Sakura and sprang out of range, while the Father knelt in front of the two boys. He extended his arms, and a blue shield popped up in front of his hands. Arm panels sprang up at the same time as the shield. The bullets were blocked by the Chakra shield…and Sasori chuckled.

"I see. I thought that there would be no challenge with Mother and Father, because I made them and knew them inside and out. But it seems you've done some tinkering, Granny Chiyo." Sasori laughed, and Chiyo remembered the first time she had seen him with his…puppets.

_(Flashback)_

_His mother and father had stopped contacting Chiyo for a few weeks, but she knew that they were still in the village. She knew where they lived…so she decided to drop by for a visit and see how her daughter and son-in-law were. She also couldn't stand to be apart from her adorable puppeteer grandson for so long._

_She smiled as she approached the house, imagining her red-haired grand-child. He would most likely be playing with his newest set of puppets Chiyo had sent him. She stopped at the window of the Apartment…and looked in. There, standing between his parents…was Sasori. They were in an embrace…and Chiyo smiled. Her grand-child was now a young teenager…thirteen this year. But he still enjoyed his parents embrace._

_She noticed that her daughter, and her husband, were both moving a bit jerkily, but she passed it off as her imagination. She smiled when Sasori took their hands…and they all walked out of the room. She went to the front door, and quietly let herself in. She wanted to surprise them. She smelt a strange smell…but quickly discarded it from her mind._

_She walked into the living room...and saw Sasori walking between his parents towards the kitchen. Except…he wasn't holding their hands at all as she had thought. His hands were extended, and a blue glow surrounded his finger-tips. Chiyo grew angry immediately. She had made Sasori swear to not puppeteer people without their permission…but then she realized the her daughter and son weren't protesting. Maybe Sasori had asked them to let him practice human puppetry for a little._

_She stepped closer, and noticed a strange clicking noise…like the sound puppets made when she controlled them. She cocked her head…and then asked, "Sasori…darling, have you been playing with your new puppets?"_

_Sasori whirled, surprised, and so did his puppets. He immediately smiled when he saw his grandma. Chiyo threw up as she realized…that the sounds were coming from her son and daughter. They…were puppets. The smell she had detected was of decay…and blood. Sasori grinned even wider. "Look! I have new puppets Granny!"_

_Chiyo's world shattered…as her son and daughter stared at her with blank and glossy eyes. Sasori made them wave to their mother…and their skeletal limbs moved in eerie synchrony._

_(End Flashback)_

Chiyo grit her teeth, and Sasori laughed. "But even with the new additions…you don't think you'll stand a chance do you?"

Naruto hissed in anger. "I'm done with this guy…I suggest you back up."

Shikamaru nodded and took several steps backwards. The Father puppet's chakra shield deactivated and the puppet was moved out of the way. Naruto made a flurry of hand signs, and closed his eyes. He stopped in the seal of the Tiger, and his eyes snapped open. They were blood-red once more…and he crouched as he surged the Kyuubi's energy throughout every part of his body. He growled in discomfort as his canines elongated, along with his nails, and he crouched and prepared to utilize the Kyuubi's power.

"For what you did to Gaara…I'll rip you to shreds. I'm tired of your mindless babbling!" Naruto growled, and Sasori smirked. The black iron sand floated from the Kazekage's mouth…and formed a giant square in the air. More sand shifted and formed a razor-thin lance…and Naruto quietly regarded the two shapes.

"If you think you can take me on, little Jinchuriki…please try." Sasori taunted, and Naruto turned to Sakura.

"Sakura-chan…I'll make this quick." Naruto rasped...and Sakura felt a shiver of fear run down her spine as he regarded her with his red eyes. He was holding himself in check…not drawing on the Chakra Shell. She knew he would do his best to keep himself in check…and not lose himself and break his promise.

"Naruto-kun…be careful." Sakura murmured. Chiyo gave the girl a surprised look. She was attached to this boy? This…Jinchuriki?

Naruto turned and glared at Sasori. "Any last words?"

Something about the boy…made Sasori afraid. Actually afraid. An emotion he hadn't felt in a very long time. Naruto waited for a moment, but Sasori kept silent. "Fine." Naruto rasped, and then moved.

Sasori hadn't seen the speed of the Thunder Flicker…but he knew it was fast. He didn't expect it to be as fast as it had been, however. Naruto appeared in front of him, right fist cocked back. He had completely blown past the Sandaime and his Iron Sand, and Sasori reacted quickly.

Right before Naruto's fist connected with Sasori's face, something burst out of Sasori's stomach. It was a blade, attached to a rope, that was coated with poison. It exploded into Naruto's stomach, piercing him through his gut and traveling out his back. Naruto froze in the air, fist cocked back, red eyes glaring…and crimson blood trailing from his wound and from the corner of his lips.

"D…Damnit." He hissed…and Sasori grinned in relief. This was the end for the Jinchuriki.

Thanks for reading, ya'll! Next Chapter…will be good. I promise. ;)


	10. Chapter 10

His relief was short-lived, however, when Naruto clenched the rope with his left hand…and then reached into his shuriken holst

Hey guys! I've read some reviews that told me some of you were waaay less than satisfied with my story. Some of you are not happy I'm following the Shippuuden storyline so closely. This is just because I really enjoyed the Rescue Gaara Arc. It was insane. I love Gaara a lot…and I didn't want to skip it. Don't worry…from here on out things will be different. Realistic I hope…but different. And of course there was one guy, I can't remember his name…but you said that my chapters were too long. Well, I'm sorry you don't like how long the chapters are, but I myself prefer long chapters. I enjoy it a lot. Plus sometimes I just can't end it until I get to a certain point. So, I'm sorry…but my chapter lengths will stay the same.

And…to answer a review I quite liked…the review that asked about Sasori and his parent puppets: Well, I actually wanted to make it so that Sasori actually killed his parents to make him more evil. I realize that I had put earlier that the White Fang had killed Chiyo's family…but I plan on making that _not_ Sasori's parents. Like maybe his aunt and/or uncle or something. I think that it makes him seem a bit more grotesque and evil to have him make his own parent puppets at such a young age. But thank you all for your reviews!

And…I apologize for the lateness of this chapter! I've been on a real Bleach Kick lately. If you like Bleach, check out my new Ichigo and Rukia Bleach Fan Fiction: Bleach: Listen To Your Heart! Now, on with another Chapter!

Lost in the Green Seas

Previously on Lost in the Green Seas:

_Naruto turned and glared at Sasori. "Any last words?"_

_Something about the boy…made Sasori afraid. Actually afraid. An emotion he hadn't felt in a very long time. Naruto waited for a moment, but Sasori kept silent. "Fine." Naruto rasped, and then moved._

_Sasori hadn't seen the speed of the Thunder Flicker…but he knew it was fast. He didn't expect it to be as fast as it had been, however. Naruto appeared in front of him, right fist cocked back. He had completely blown past the Sandaime and his Iron Sand, and Sasori reacted quickly._

_Right before Naruto's fist connected with Sasori's face, something burst out of Sasori's stomach. It was a blade, attached to a rope, that was coated with poison. It exploded into Naruto's stomach, piercing him through his gut and traveling out his back. Naruto froze in the air, fist cocked back, red eyes glaring…and crimson blood trailing from his wound and from the corner of his lips._

"_D…Damn it." He hissed…and Sasori grinned in relief. This was the end for the Jinchuriki._

The Continuation:

"This is your end." He said, relieved that the boy hadn't managed to reach him. His relief was short-lived, however, when Naruto clenched the rope with his left hand…and then reached into his shuriken holster.

"No…it's yours." Naruto rasped. He withdrew two kunai…severing the rope with one and dropping the metal blade. He started to fall, and slashed out with his remaining Kunai. It cut across Sasori's face diagonally, starting on the right side of his jaw and trailing all the way up to his left ear. Sasori back-pedaled and withdrew his severed rope back to his belly through his robe. He covered his facial wound, stumbling back.

Naruto dropped to his knees, crying out as the pain blasted its way through his body. Sakura screamed, and Shikamaru gasped. This whole thing had taken less than five seconds…and it had surprised everyone. Naruto fell face-forward, and Sakura ran towards him, tears spilling down her cheeks. Shikamaru instantly cast his Shadow Possession Jutsu…and luckily caught Sasori. Sasori froze, unable to move, and Sakura made it to Naruto's side. Chiyo approached as well, running to the boy's side.

Naruto's eyes were blood red, but they were glazed slightly. Sakura fell to her knees beside him and cried his name. "NARUTO!" She cried, and Naruto looked at her. Tears were flowing, anguish was written all over her face, but she was still beautiful. And still…his urge to make her stop crying, no matter how beautiful she was even when she cried, overpowered him. He mustered all of his strength and pushed himself up onto his knees. He grunted in pain, and blood dripped from his mouth…mixing with the puddle of blood that pooled around his knees.

He gingerly reached out and caressed her soft face. "It's okay, Sakura-chan."

"Stupid sentimentality…a waste." Sasori grunted past his hand, obviously happy he had at least done that much…but still disgruntled that he was frozen. He had lowered his guard…and it had cost him.

Sakura cast a glare at the Akatsuki member. Naruto reached around behind to his back, sending tears of pain cascading down his face. His eyes were still red and his whiskers were still thick. He gripped the rope that was oozing poison into his insides, and slowly drug it out of his body. It tore its way through his gut, and he screamed in pain when it came out completely. Blood flowed freely…and Sakura instantly placed her hands on both wounds. Naruto nearly passed out from the pain…and he was sure that with the amount of blood he was losing he was dizzy from that.

Chiyo also kneeled next to Naruto, and both hers and Sakura's hands glowed with green energy as they worked healing Jutsus. Sakura focused on the internal wounds…and Chiyo focused on the external wounds. But Naruto struggled to his feet and pushed their hands away. "Don't…waste your energy." He growled.

Sakura glared at him in anger. "What the hell do you mean, 'don't waste your energy'?! You're going to bleed to death if we don't stop it!"

Naruto swayed once he regained his footing, but managed to stay upright. "No…I won't. The bastard forgot something…and it's the reason he's after me. And you're treating me like a normal person Sakura…when I'm nowhere near normal." He rasped…and Sakura instantly understood.

"The…Kyuubi." Sakura murmured, and Naruto nodded.

"I need you to stand back. This could hurt you…" He murmured, and Chiyo and Sakura backed off a good five yards. Chiyo watched with interest, as did Sakura. Naruto closed his eyes, and then allowed a small smile to show on his lips. Instantly, a red boiling Chakra started to form…and Chiyo gasped. She could feel the anger, the evil, the pure malevolent intent radiating from the chakra…and she instantly knew the boy was drawing his Biju's power.

The Chakra formed around his body and its outline resembled a fox. "One tail of power should be enough…" They heard Naruto murmur…and Sakura watched in wonder as steam rose from his wounds. She saw, and she couldn't believe it, the flesh re-growing around the wound within split seconds. The blood on Naruto seemed to be steamed off…except for the blood that was stained into the back of the Yondaime's robe.

Chiyo murmured, "So…this is the power of the Kyuubi?"

Naruto's eyes snapped open, and he grinned. Chiyo shivered as the blood-red orbs locked on her…and he laughed. "This isn't anything compared to the true power. It's incredible…this is child's play." His voice hissed, and Sakura was concerned that he had lost himself for a minute. But…his intelligence and control was exerted, and he seemed to come back.

"But…I won't be needing this anymore." Naruto said, and cut off the flow of the Kyuubi's power. Instantly…the red chakra disappeared. Naruto sighed…and Shikamaru just stared in amazement. That life-threatening wound had been taken care of quickly…and Naruto was most likely revitalized by the surge of power. Naruto…was amazing.

"So…it seems that you're going to kill me now?" Sasori asked. He couldn't see a way out of this…not with how he couldn't move due to the Shadow Paralysis.

"Yes…" Naruto growled. It was time to end it.

--

Kakashi knew he was close to Neji's location due to the surges of Chakra that he could feel. They were small releases, indicating it was the Jyuken style, the Gentle Fist style, of the Hyuuga.

He stayed in the trees surrounding a clearing, and saw a sight that shocked him. Standing amid large craters, attacking with bursts of chakra from their hands…were _two_ Neji Hyuuga's. They were expertly dodging, striking, redirecting each other's blows…and one Neji quickly initiated his Heavenly Rotation Jutsu. The other Neji sprang back in time, breathing heavily.

Kakashi gently pressed his throat-mike and murmured, "All Team Guy Members…"

He made sure to keep still…so as not to draw attention from either of the Neji's watchful Byakugan. The Neji who had unleashed the Rotation slowly spun to a stop. That's when Kakashi noticed it. One Neji had a throat mike…the other didn't. The Neji who had unleashed the Kaiten was the real one.

Neji, Lee, Tenten, and Guy all activated their throat mikes. "Yes?" They all asked.

"This is Kakashi…and I'm about to help out. Neji…I need you to keep him from getting to me…I'm sure you'll both find me. I'd rather not get into close-combat with your double so I'm going to take him out long-distance." Kakashi murmured. Neji affirmed that he heard, and Kakashi channeled chakra quickly to his left eye. His red 3-tomoe sharingan started to twist and morph, and with a slight surge of Chakra…Kakashi's new Mangekyou Sharingan was revealed. It resembled a pin-wheel, completely unlike Itachi's.

Kakashi quickly activated his newest move…his Mangekyou Ability. He grunted slightly at the amount of Chakra it took to even activate the move, and the amount it took to keep it sustained. He focused his sight on the fake Neji's head, and suddenly the air seemed to shimmer, and then twist into a spiral…the center of the spiral being the fake Neji's face. The fake Neji stumbled in surprise, and the real Neji backed up some. Kakashi strained to push his ability to hurry up and finish it…he didn't want to lose so much Chakra.

The Neji double finally spotted Kakashi with his Byakugan, and he leapt through the air towards Kakashi. The real Neji moved faster than the double, however, and appeared in front of the fake, barring his route. Neji struck at the double, to find his moves blocked, but he pushed his fake self backwards away from Kakashi. Then…it started.

The air was filled with a strange sound, like something being sucked away down a tube. The fake Neji's head started to warp, and he cried out in pain. It spun slightly, twisting in a grotesque position as it was slowly sucked towards the center of the spiral of air. The fake no longer fought, but tumbled to his knees. Kakashi yelled, "Neji! Back away!"

Neji sprang back, as the warped area grew, and then with a strangled cry, the fake Neji's head was sucked away completely…leaving a stump of a neck that started to spurt blood. The body fell to the ground…and the blood stopped flowing and the body melted back into the ground from which it came.

Neji doubled over, trying to catch his breath, and Kakashi leapt out of the trees. As he landed, his knees nearly buckled, but he managed to stay upright. He strode over to Neji, and he said, "We need to go help the others."

Neji nodded, regulating his breathing, and then straightened. His heavily-veined eyes glared around, and the muttered, "Lee's closest…then we can get Tenten and then Master Guy."

Kakashi nodded, and the two sprang away. Kakashi was keeping his body under control, fighting the trembling that made it difficult to stand…let alone jump from tree to tree. He had to hold out, at least, to rescue the others.

--

Naruto stepped towards Sasori…but felt a surge of Chakra from beneath him. He immediately knew what was happening, and instead of springing back, he sprang forwards. A large vine exploded upwards, thorns stabbing out at Naruto. Naruto didn't have to worry about it, however, with his Thunder Flicker Jutsu still active. He dodged it easily, and as the Plant-like Akatsuki member grabbed Sasori…he punched at the man. Zetsu's visible eye widened in shock as he was thrown backwards, and Naruto made sure to not hit Sasori. Anything that happened to Sasori would happen to Shikamaru.

Zetsu tumbled backwards through the air, but landed upon his feet and skidded to a halt. "Hmm…the boy's quite fast." His white half said.

"**But no match for us.**" Replied his black half. The man grinned, and Naruto felt fear clench its icy fist around his heart. He fought it back…but he couldn't help but be intimidated by this plant-like man. The vine behind him whipped around and attempted to impale Naruto. Naruto moved fast again, slamming his fist into Zetsu's gut this time. Zetsu had seemed to think that Naruto would attack his face again and had thrown up his arms to protect his face. Naruto added enough force to cause the man's eyes to roll into the back of his head, which they did, and then he followed up with a quick kick to his now unprotected chin.

The plant-man flew back, but instead of hitting the ground he was caught by a Shadow-clone. Zetsu instantly broke free, but then found himself surrounded by twenty or so Shadow Clones. All of them holding a strange three-pronged kunai. Zetsu, had his white half been able to actually visibly pale, would have. He glared, realizing that all he had to do was dodge the kunai…and the Thunder God Jutsu wouldn't work.

But someone yelled from above him.** "ODAMA RASENGAN!!" **Naruto had planned the Clones as a distraction…and it had worked.

Zetsu looked up, and he screamed as he saw two Naruto's, eyes blood red and full of hate. Between them, they held a red swirling Rasengan that was twice as big as the original Rasengan. The red swirling orb of Chakra touched Zetsu's head…and there was an explosion that was roughly equal to some of Deidara's explosions. Sakura, Shikamaru, Sasori and Chiyo all threw their hands up. Sasori's reaction was due to Shikamaru's, but still. Dust, wind, and chunks of rocks flew everywhere, obscuring everyone's vision. The Shadow Clones were dispelled, and the dust cleared after a minute or so. Everyone was coughing…and then lowered their arms.

Naruto stood in the middle of a crater, his chest heaving, and his red eyes blazing. Zetsu, somehow…was still alive. He was moaning, bloodied, and completely out of it. Sasori's eyes went wide as he was able to see…and he shivered. The boy's power was incredible. Naruto straddled Zetsu's body…and then drew back his right fist. He snarled in hate, and his lips curled back from his teeth. He slammed his fist into Zetsu's face, drawing blood from the strange Akatsuki's mouth. He drew his fist back again, and plunged it downwards. Again, and again he hit the Akatsuki member…his rage building higher and higher. He could see Gaara's pale, cracked face in his minds eye. His dark circled eyes closed, never meant to open and show the sparkling green iris' hidden beneath the lids ever again. His fist was starting to become coated in blood…blood from the Akatsuki's face and blood from his now ripped open knuckles.

He spoke, punches accentuating each word. "It's. All. Your. Damn. Fault!" He screamed, and he continued to beat the Akatsuki. He wanted to make them pay. They were the ones who made Naruto's life hell the past few years. Being constantly hunted…constantly having to hide and look over his shoulder. And then they go and attack and kill Gaara. He would make them feel his pain. He would make them pay for it in _blood_.

Sakura and Shikamaru watched as Naruto beat the Akatsuki member, long after he lapsed into unconsciousness. Sakura started to step forward, but Shikamaru called out. "Sakura! We don't have time to worry about Naruto. He can take care of himself, obviously! But my Shadow Possession Jutsu is giving out! Focus!"

Sakura shook her head and glanced at the Sandaime Kazekage Puppet. It was shaking, from Sasori's obvious attempt to make it move. The fact that it was shaking…made her realize she had forgotten about the Shadow Possession's time limit. Sakura darted forward, fist cocked back and ready to destroy the Sandaime.

Several things happened in such a rapid sequence that even a Sharingan user would have had trouble keeping up with. First, was Shikamaru's shadow wavered…and then detached. As soon as he was free, Sasori sprang backwards into the air. The Sandaime rushed towards Sakura head on, as did the giant black sand block and blade above his head. And Sakura bolted forward and swung her fist at the incoming objects. Her fist impacted with the giant sand block as it soared towards her, and she grinned as she surged her Chakra.

The Block flew backwards in an uncontrollable spin, shattering the upper half of the Sandaime puppet, and causing Sasori to jump out of the way. As soon as the Sandaime was shattered, all the black sand collapsed into giant mounds on the floor, burying the Kazekage.

Sasori rose from the ground, angered at having to dodge his own weapon. Chiyo glared at Sasori…as she realized that the wound across his face that Naruto had inflicted, was not bleeding. It looked like a simple gash, one that someone might inflict upon a block of wood or a tree.

"So…that's how you haven't aged, Sasori." Chiyo murmured, and Sasori's scarred face turned towards his grandma. There was no blood, and no emotion on his face. His pale green orbs were the only thing that seemed alive…and burning with an internal light.

"So…you've finally figured it out, old woman?" He asked.

Sakura turned to Chiyo slightly, keeping her guard up. Chiyo's face was saddened slightly…but she had a strange look of resolve as well. "Well then…it seems I'm out of puppets at the moment…so I might as well just use myself." Sasori nonchalantly called out…and he dropped his robe.

Sakura gasped at the sight, and Shikamaru's eyes widened considerably. Chiyo examined her grandson without emotion now…simply trying to figure out what weapons he had concealed. He was completely made out of wood, just like a puppet, but had several modifications. He had a strange symbol tattooed above his heart, that read 'Scorpion'…but the area around it seemed strange. It almost seemed to be pulsing. But Sasori no longer had a stomach either. Coiled where his intestines should have been was the severed rope that had pierced Naruto. Then, on Sasori's fore-arms were large scythe-blades, and then scrolls were attached to his back. What the scrolls held…they would find out shortly, of that Chiyo was certain.

Sakura sprang backwards, to group tighter with Shikamaru and Chiyo, and raised her guard. Here, she was sure, was where the real battle would happen.

--

Kakashi and Neji were close to Lee's position, they could tell from the loud shouts and sounds of trees being shattered. Neji stopped, and so did Kakashi, and they hid behind a tree. "Both of the Lee's are using two of the Inner Gates." Neji murmured. Kakashi nodded in response. "All you need to do, is jump towards them and draw their attention. I'll be springing behind them, and I'll eliminate the fake." Neji said, and Kakashi nodded again.

He slowly started to advance upon the two Lee's, while Neji disappeared. Neji would be going to circle behind them. Kakashi snuck over to where the two Rock Lee's were sparring. They weren't even visible to Kakashi's normal eye they were going so fast. Kakashi's Sharingan could see the flurry of combination moves used, and he was impressed with Lee's development. He was undoubtedly starting to advance upon Might Guys' strength level quite rapidly.

Kakashi thought about how to distract the two…and then decided to do his casual approach. He put his right hand in his pocket, and slouched against a tree. "Yo! Sorry I'm late, but I got lost on the path of Life." He called out, and the two blurs both froze. Both Rock Lee's were sweating, panting, and were bruised. The real Lee had a look of astonishment on his face, while the fake Lee only stared without emotion.

His face, however, abruptly changed to one of stunned disbelief at the same time a blue pillar of Chakra exploded through his chest. It left his skin unblemished…but Kakashi knew that his internal organs were fried from the Gentle Fist strike.

"Nice!" Lee yelled, and did a thumbs-up. The Lee clone slowly melted to the ground, and Kakashi gave Neji a nod of congratulations. Neji simply inclined his head slightly, and then turned to Lee.

"Lee…we're headed for Tenten next. Then…we'll get Guy-sensei." Neji said, and Lee saluted. "YOSH! LET US-" He was cut off by a glare from Neji.

"Just because he isn't here doesn't mean you get to do it!" Neji barked, and Lee lowered his head in disappointment. He seemed like he had been really looking forward to using Guy's phrase.

Neji turned, and sprang through the trees. Kakashi and Lee automatically followed, keeping in tight formation in case an Akatsuki member attacked. Kakashi was especially vigilant, looking for the plant-like Akatsuki member who had rescued Deidara.

Within a few minutes, they reached Tenten's position. The tree where the tag had been, sitting next to a river, was full of Shuriken and all assortment of weapons. Tenten was breathing heavily, resting on one of the tree branches. There was no sign of the clone. They drew close to the tree, and Tenten jumped down from the branches. She landed lightly, and smiled and waved. "Hehe…you're a bit late."

Neji grinned. "So you managed to take yours out?" He asked.

"Yeah…it wasn't too hard. I knew my own weaknesses, namely close combat. So, I pressed in and used a few clumsy moves to disarm the imposter and then filled them full of Shuriken." She boasted. Neji nodded, and Lee rushed in and gave Tenten a hug.

"You burn bright with the flames of-oof!" He lost his breath as Tenten elbowed him in the gut.

"Cut it out, Lee! We've got to go help Guy-sensei." She ordered, and Lee nodded as he clutched his gut. Kakashi raised an eyebrow. These guys were almost as comical as Naruto and Sasuke had been back in the early days…

"Okay…let's let Guy know we're coming then." Kakashi said, and activated his throat mike.

"Guy…we're coming to assist. Everyone's clear except you." Kakashi said.

Guy's voice, strained and almost unintelligible, sounded in their ears. "Yosh…I'm waiting. Do me a favor…and hurry." Guy gasped.

Kakashi nodded. "Will do." He replied, then he turned to Guy's team members. "Allright. Neji, let's go."

Neji nodded, and they sprang into action. Neji leading, Kakashi right behind him…and Kakashi was flanked by Rock Lee on the left and Tenten on the right. They ran in tight formation, trying to reach Guy. They all thought that if Guy was asking for help quickly…he needed it bad. He wasn't one to ask for help if it wasn't desperately needed.

"Hold on, Guy." Kakashi murmured, and started formulating a strategy to help Guy.

--

Naruto got up, blood dripping from his fists and coating his robes. Zetsu's face was unrecognizable, just a lump of now-deformed flesh. The plant-like jaws on either side of his head had shut a few minutes ago, most likely as a defense mechanism to protect him while he was unconscious. Naruto had tried to pry it open with a Kunai…but that hadn't worked. Naruto hissed in anger, well aware that he was treading on dangerous ground. If his anger got out of hand…things could get ugly.

Suddenly, Naruto heard a cry and a blast of flames from behind him, and he whirled. He realized he had been too wrapped up in dishing out damage to Zetsu that he hadn't paid any attention to the battle that had taken place behind him.

Sakura, Shikamaru, and Chiyo were all dodging blasts of flames from Sasori. Naruto gasped slightly when he saw that Sasori was a human puppet, and his eyes widened when he saw jets of flame issuing from his palms. He cackled madly, yelling, "Come now! Don't be afraid! I promise you I'll end it quickly!"

Sakura seemed to be making a strategy, talking with her team-members. Naruto felt the urge to attack Sasori…to rip him into pieces and destroy him before he had the chance to hurt his Sakura-chan. But, a voice spoke to him out of the back of his head. It was no longer boastful or full of pride…but somber and serious and thoughtful.

'_**It would not be wise to do that, young one.'**_ Boomed the voice of the Fox. Naruto jerked in surprise, but quickly regained his composure. He watched, eyes darting back and forth between his comrades as they dodged the bright bursts of flame.

'Why not?' Naruto asked, and the Fox snorted in mockery.

'_**Do you not even understand your woman?'**_ The Kyuubi scoffed, and Naruto felt his anger spike. The Fox continued. _**'The reason is, you should know that her pride as an accomplished Kunoichi is on the line. This man looks at her as nothing but an amusing child…and she knows this. While you may have the overwhelming urge to coddle and protect your woman…you should know from experience that she does not wished to be coddled on the battle-field. She wants to prove herself, as she has all those years in the past, to show you that she is worthwhile. Especially now to you, instead of that treacherous Uchiha.'**_

Naruto struggled with that for a moment. He battled his urge to rush in, and the truth and wisdom of the Kyuubi. He sighed in frustration, and let his hands, which had risen up in the form of fists, fall limply at his sides. He cursed himself as he decided to watch, and make sure that Sakura wouldn't get hurt. But he would jump in if it looked serious enough.

He watched as one of the scrolls on Sasori's back suddenly hissed and dissolved, and the flames stopped shooting from Sasori's hands. Sasori seemed slightly disappointed when no one rushed in to attack. "So, are you stupid enough to actually think you can just wait out my attacks? I don't tire like you, you who have bodies of weak flesh and muscle. I am the perfect being. One who does not tire, does not feel pain or emotion, one who does not bleed." Sasori boasted, and Chiyo sighed.

"Sasori…even the strongest puppets have weaknesses. You can strive for perfection, but you will always have one weakness." She scolded, and Sasori glared at her.

"And what is that weakness?" He hissed, clenching his wooden fingers.

Chiyo allowed a smile to play on her lips. "Well…your weakness would be your lack of emotion."

Sasori scoffed. "HA! Don't you remember the Shinobi Rules? Emotion is nothing but a hindrance and weakness!"

Chiyo shook her head. "No. Emotions can increase your will to live, your will to fight, it can improve you in the heat of battle. Of course there is always the risk emotion can ruin you in the heat of battle, if it is a pure emotion, then there will be no folly."

Sasori's eyes seemed to blaze in anger, and without warning he shot forward. Apparently, another weakness of his was pride. He couldn't handle having his 'perfection' attacked. Sakura had anticipated this. She had planned it with Chiyo. She hadn't just learned Medical Ninjutsu, and strength from her Sensei…but she had learned to watch for Character flaws that would compromise a person in the heat of battle. She had noticed his pride in his work in his first argument with Deidara…and she had known it would be a deadly flaw.

Instantly, Sakura's plan went into action. Sakura sprang forward, flying to meet Sasori head on, and Chiyo tried to send in the two parent puppets. However, the parent puppets would not move. Sakura saw this, an instant before she engaged Sasori, and thought, _'Okay…they must have been immobilized from some previous attack. Time to think of a plan 'B'.'_

But, as she dodged two swipes from Sasori, and then a spin kick and another arm-swipe, she saw Sasori leave himself open. She performed a quick jab, but as soon as her fist connected with his chest-casket, she unleashed her chakra. The resulting force blew Sasori to pieces, his body separating into dozens of different pieces. She paused, surprised, and looked down at the pieces of Sasori. She backed up a step, and Shikamaru frowned.

"That was too easy." He murmured, and walked up to Sakura. Chiyo walked up as well, hesitant and unsure. Could that really be the end for her grand-child? For such a prodigy…his ending seemed so anti-climactic.

Sakura turned and faced her teammates. Even she seemed to be struggling with the simplicity of the death. Shikamaru's frown deepened. "I suppose then, that his pride was indeed his downfall." Shikamaru said, and Chiyo nodded slowly. She ignored the pain in her chest, from the thought that she had helped kill her own grandchild.

Sakura turned, and they all looked at Naruto. They could see his blazing red eyes in the semi-dark of the cave, and he nodded at them. "That makes two Akatsuki down. I got this one." He called, and they nodded.

Sakura started to peel off her leather gloves, walking over Sasori's scattered parts to walk towards Naruto. She started to speak. "Naruto…what do we do with their—" She said, but was startled into silence when Sasori's parts started to make a clacking sound. She spun, eyes wide, and Shikamaru and Chiyo sprang backwards.

Blue forks of what seemed like some kind of lightning shot from Sasori's chest, and attached to his arms, legs, head, lower torso, feet, and hands. Suddenly, the kanji for 'scorpion' on his chest glowed blue, and all the parts flew up and assembled again. Sakura stifled a scream, and stepped back a few steps. As soon as Sasori was standing again, seemingly unscathed except for the gash across his face and severed rope in his belly, he turned his head and said without emotion, "Boo."

Sakura's eyes widened as Sasori slashed at her with his right arm, and she sprang backwards to try to evade the slicing blades on his forearm. She evaded it mostly, but a gash appeared on her forearm. She stumbled backwards as searing pain blasted through her body, and she knew immediately Sasori's poison had infiltrated her system. She stumbled backwards a few steps, and then fell to her knees on the ground. She felt the burning throughout her body, slowly starting to paralyze her. She heard someone yell her name, and she recognized Naruto's voice. She struggled to move her arm behind her to grab the antidote in the small pouch on her lower back. She was dimly aware of Naruto appearing in front of her with a yellow streak of light, and kicking Sasori a good thirty feet away. He knelt by Sakura then, instantly realizing what she had retrieved. He grabbed the hypodermic needle and jabbed the needle into her leg.

Sakura felt the fiery antidote burn for a split second, before she regained movement. She staggered to her feet with Naruto's help, and shook her head. She forced the sense of pain from her brain, and gritted her teeth. Naruto turned to face Sasori, who was now getting up again. His right arm was no longer attached. Naruto's kick had removed it, and it lay between Naruto and Sasori. Sakura watched as the kanji on his chest glowed blue once more, and then lightning forked from his right shoulder and linked with the dismembered arm. Instantly, the arm flew back to its proper spot and snapped back in place.

Sasori stared at Sakura with wide eyes. "How can you still stand?" He whispered, and Sakura allowed a fierce grin to show. "Because I'm smart enough to make an antidote." She replied, drawing a shocked twitch from Sasori.

'_It's not possible…not even I could make an antidote for my poison without analyzing it for a few days and even then…finding the proper ingredients and herbs and mixing them together properly would take even longer! This girl…this mere child…figured out an antidote to my poison? She is indeed more of a threat than I realized.' _Sasori thought, cold and calculating. This surprise had just completely destroyed his most useful weapon. This girl…was indeed a genius.

"Naruto…I'm fine now. Watch over the other one, and make sure he doesn't escape." Sakura said, keeping her blazing green eyes locked on Sasori's. Naruto glanced at her with his blazing red eyes, and nodded. He fought the urge to argue, and instead decided to have faith in Sakura. He knew she was strong…but the Akatsuki were brutal. They were composed of 'S' Rank Criminals, and the 'S' rank wasn't that easy to reach. He moved off to the side, and reached the battered and cocooned Zetsu. He kept an eye on Zetsu, but also watched Sakura.

Sakura felt gratitude towards Naruto. She was afraid he wouldn't let her finish this fight on her own. But, obviously he trusted her and had faith in her strength, if he was letting her engage this Akatsuki member. She clenched her fists tightly, squinting her eyes and trying to come up with a strategy. Sasori was doing the same. Sakura was searching for his weakness…

Sasori knew he couldn't let the pink-haired whelp dwell too long on a strategy. He didn't like to wait, didn't like keeping others waiting…and he most definitely did not want this brilliant girl to figure out his secret. He raised his right hand slowly, and grabbed at a hidden catch on the right side of his chest. His fingers pried open the hidden compartment, and the wooden shell opened a compartment, so its door swung open and off to the right. Then, he grabbed a scroll off his back, and unrolled it. Sakura backed off, warily guarding against attack.

"**SUMMONING TECHNIQUE!"** Sasori yelled, and the large scroll disappeared in a large puff of smoke. The smoke obscured Sasori from view, and Sakura jumped back to Chiyo and Shikamaru. They all watched…and Shikamaru gasped. "No…that can't be possible!"

Sakura couldn't see, at first, what he was carrying on about. But then, the smoke cleared, and Sakura saw a sight that completely astounded her. At least one hundred puppets were floating in the air around Sasori, blue chakra strings extending attached and coming from the hole in Sasori's chest. Sasori laughed. "I didn't think I would have had to use this technique on a little girl, an old hag, and an intermediate ninja." He jeered, and Chiyo glared.

Sakura fought the tremors that threatened to make her knees buckle. Her, Shikamaru and Chiyo versus a hundred puppets…three Shinobi versus a hundred puppets was going to be suicide. She took a step backwards, contemplating a tactical retreat, but Sasori seemed to read her thoughts. "I used this move to level a whole country. Don't think you can outrun them. Their range is almost infinite." Sasori warned ominously, and Sakura fought the urge to curse. She had to keep a level head.

"Don't worry Sakura, we'll do well enough." Chiyo said, stepping up to Sakura's side. Shikamaru mirrored her, so they formed a straight line defense against the floating horde of puppets.

"How do you think you can last, Grandmother Chiyo? My parents aren't functioning, and you seem to have run out of tricks." Sasori laughed. Chiyo simply reached her hands into the folds of her robes, and withdrew two scrolls. They exploded in a large cloud of smoke, and when the thick substance cleared…standing in front of Chiyo were ten puppets. Outlandish, frightening, and intriguing were their carving designs, all wearing white robes.

"This is _my_ Ultimate Move. My Ten strongest puppets, one puppet for each finger. I used these ten puppets to bring down a fortress. While not as impressive as bringing down a whole country…their skills and my skills combined will more than make up for it." Chiyo said, and she kept her hands from shaking. She knew that they were well-outnumbered. This would be their last stand.

"Fine…let's see who's left standing then…shall we?" Sasori asked quietly, eyeing the puppets. He crouched slightly, anxious to send his puppets into their deadly dances. Chiyo, Sakura, and Shikamaru nodded, crouching as well. Chiyo's puppets clacked as they were prepared, but then they heard a rasping voice from their right.

"You wanna fight to the finish with a bunch of dolls? I'm in. I've never been a fan of dolls anyways." Naruto hissed, and made a couple of Kage Bunshin to watch and guard Zetsu. If he were to awaken, they would take him. Naruto then walked to Chiyo's right, on the end of the line. His father's blood-stained robe fluttered slightly, and Naruto assumed a read position. He grinned, and Sasori nodded. The Jinchuriki might throw a wrench in things…but that's what his other two scrolls were for…back up plans.

The battle began with such frightening speed, Sakura almost cried out in surprise. The Hundred Puppets flew towards them, activating blades and shooting needles and kunai. Shikamaru and Chiyo were the first to react. Chiyo sent her puppets out as the first wave, guarding the others against projectiles, and Shikamaru threw several kunai with exploding tags at the incoming horde.

Sakura recovered quickly, and sprang into the fray, fist already cocked back and ready to shatter a puppet. She lost track of everything, but swayed and dodged and blocked and attacked in a strange yet familiar dance. She shattered one puppet, dodged a swipe, jumped over a poisoned projectile, shattered an incoming puppet, and continued.

Naruto hung back for a second, watching the others do their damage. Shikamaru was doing well, even though he preferred long-distance fighting. He was hurling exploding kunai into the cloud of puppets, and he decimated quite a few. He ran out, however, and put his hands together in seals unfamiliar to Naruto. **"Nara Secret Jutsu: Shadow Spike Pillars Jutsu!" **Shikamaru yelled, and Naruto's eyes flew to the crowd of puppets.

Shadows were flitting all over the cave floor, ripe for Shikamaru's use. Suddenly, out of dozens of the shadows, large black spikes erupted from them, impaling at least two puppets per spike. It took Naruto a moment to realize that the spikes were physically manifested Shadows. Naruto shook his head at Shikamaru's skills, and flew through hand signs. He ended quickly, and felt his Chakra surge throughout his body. His Thunder Flicker Jutsu was reactivated.

He flew into the cloud, moving faster than the human eye could follow. He dismantled puppets quickly, breaking their fragile limbs at every joint he could find, effectively dismantling dozens in mere seconds. He mainly stayed around Sakura and Chiyo, protecting them from attacks they couldn't see coming while they destroyed puppets. But, within minutes they had dismantled three quarters of the cloud.

Naruto's Thunder Flicker ended, landing him directly at Sakura's side. Naruto was breathing heavily…his Chakra strained from using the move so many times in a day, as well as using all the others earlier. He didn't want to draw on the Kyuubi's power unless necessary. He formed a Rasengan and shattered a puppet that tried to attack Sakura's back, shattering it into kindle and traveling through it and demolishing several others. He performed several more kicks and flips, immediately going back to Sakura's side.

He glanced at Chiyo, and saw she was down to two puppets, but with them she was even more proficient, able to concentrate more fully on their functions. How puppeteers were able to do what they did was beyond Naruto…but he respected her skills immensely. His respect however, was interrupted as he dodged a blade aimed for his head. He shattered the arm of the offender, and quickly shattered the rest of it with his bare fist. His fists were bloody from destroying so many dolls with his bare hands, but he knew the Fox would heal him quickly.

Sasori hissed in anger as he directed the last remaining few puppets at the Shinobi. His hundreds of puppets had been demolished and brought down to only fifteen in less than ten minutes…all because of the Jinchuriki. Though the other certainly were great fighters, the Jinchuriki was the strongest. He quickly reached behind him, grabbing a scroll. He wanted to see how the Jinchuriki would handle this.

"**Summoning Technique: Devil Puppet Master!"** Sasori howled, tossing the scroll in front of him. It exploded, obscuring his view, and the other's for a split moment. Sasori took that moment to sever the remaining strings in his chest, and gather more and connect them to his newest weapon that was brought out.

Naruto, Sakura, Chiyo and her now remaining one puppet, and Shikamaru brought up their guard as the smoke cleared. Sakura and Shikamaru were gasping for breath, Naruto was slightly winded, and Chiyo was struggling to still stand. What little breath they had caught in their chests as they saw the monstrosity that had been brought out of the scroll.

Standing before them was a giant puppet, one that almost touched the ceiling of the cave. It was red, and the design was similar to Kankuro's Kuroari puppet. It had ten arms total, five on each side of its large barrel-like chest. It had a thick black mane that framed its grotesque face, a large-scale version of the face on Hiruko's back. It had a large whip for a tail, and each of its fingers on its hands were tipped with large pointed nails. Naruto blanched slightly.

"Do you think you can take this one out so easily?" Sasori yelled, and the large puppet rattled as it moved in response to Sasori's orders. Sakura growled out, "I'll take it."

Naruto grabbed her soft white shoulder as she started forward, and held her still. "No." He said. Sakura looked back at him, his feral appearance no longer phasing her. She opened her mouth to protest, but Naruto glared at her, quieting her words before they even left her lips.

Naruto stepped forward a couple of steps, flexing his clawed hands. _**'You know you need my power.'**_ Hissed the deep voice of the Kyuubi, echoing through every corner of Naruto's mind. Naruto nodded slightly.

'_I know.'_ Naruto replied evenly. He didn't let the fear he was feeling influence even his mental voice.

'_**Then take it! USE IT! Show this bastard…this hunter of the tailed beasts, what power he truly hunts!'**_ Roared the Kyuubi. Naruto realized then…that the Kyuubi was angered almost as much as Naruto was about Gaara's death. For the Kyuubi, a fellow tailed beast had been captured…brought into servitude by the Akatsuki and suppressed. It enraged the Demon Fox, and Naruto realized that perhaps the fox wasn't so alien to him after all…

Naruto drew his breath, and then held it. He pulled at the fiery energy that he was containing within his belly, and pulled it outside of his body. He could feel it bubbling up and out, covering him and immersing him in fiery power. He let his breath out in a hiss, and snapped his eyes open. He knew the Chakra shell was floating around him, boiling and hissing with the Kyuubi's and Naruto's anger. Naruto felt his lip quiver as his and the Kyuubi's hatred merged into a solid and unbreakable bond, and he felt himself change as he had only once before.

_(Flashback)_

"_Last time he went into a three and four-tailed state, he blacked out and lost control. He injured me…and then he killed seven rogue ninja that were attacking us." Jiraiya whispered._

_Naruto quieted the disbelief at the blatant lie that Jiraiya told them. He had indeed gone into a three and then four-tailed state…but he hadn't blacked out. He had lost control, but he remembered everything that had happened quite visibly. Tsunade and Sakura seemed to have bought the lie, and Naruto stayed silent._

_(FLASHBACK)_

_Naruto lay on the ground, hissing in anger and pain. They had been ambushed by seven rogue ninja, all of them Jonin or higher in rank. Jiraiya had been careless on accident, and let slip Naruto's name. Apparently, Orochimaru wanted Naruto dead for delaying Sasuke's arrival so Orochimaru couldn't have his body. These were hired thugs, who had boasted about being paid by the snake bastard. Naruto had been incapacitated within a minute, as all seven rogue ninja had broken past Jiraiya and nailed Naruto with a Genjutsu._

_Naruto had been broken out of the Genjutsu by Jiraiya as he had rushed the seven men, but Naruto was slowly recovering. The Genjutsu had trapped Naruto in a strange mindscape filled with horrifying images of death and torture, and Naruto had been heavily affected. But…not in the way that the men had hoped._

_Naruto was affected, because the images of death and torture, had shown everyone Naruto cared about being hurt. Brutally and savagely tortured, were Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi, and every last member of the Rookie Nine. Naruto was filled with anger beyond his own mental level. He could feel hatred fill him, not just from his own emotions, but from the Fox as well. Naruto was struggling to stay in control, but he was fighting a losing battle._

_Suddenly, he felt power explode through his body as the Chakra shell coated his body, and he got to his feet. He snarled in anger, as a second tail formed and waved in synchrony with the first. He cried out in pain, however, as the third suddenly sprouted into existence. Power burned its way through his system, and Jiraiya and the bandits froze in their battle. They watched in horror was Naruto fell to his knees, clawing at the ground in agony._

"_What the hell did you do?!" Cried Jiraiya, screaming at the bandits. They shook their heads in response, fear flooding their own bodies as rapidly as the hatred filled Naruto's. Killing intent and power physically blasted off Naruto, causing even Jiraiya to shiver._

_Naruto screamed, his voice hoarse and guttural, echoing through the forest they were in. Birds soared from the trees, squawking in distress. Slowly, majestically, and terrifyingly…a fourth tail bubbled into existence. Naruto's cry died away into a gurgle of agony, as power ripped him apart from the inside out. He felt as if he would die, right there and now…but something else happened._

_Naruto felt a strange ache in his body, deep within his bones. He heard cracking, snapping, and felt lightning pains stab him throughout his body. He screamed in pain, his throat ripping and becoming raw as Naruto underwent a transformation that made one of the rogue ninja wet himself._

"_NARUTO!" Jiraiya yelled, and watched in growing horror as Naruto rolled around, clawing at his chest, throat, and face. He writhed in agony, squirming like a snake, but jerking quickly that indicated unbearable pain. Jiraiya watched as Naruto's skeleton distorted, his chest becoming broader deeper, his arms growing longer, his legs bending strangely and growing longer as well. Naruto managed to work his way onto his hands and knees, and Jiraiya noticed that Naruto's teeth were all pointed now, not just his canines, and his whisker marks almost covered his entire face. Naruto suddenly changed, where he was no longer on his hands and knees, but on his hands and feet…but he was like an animal. Like a fox, or a wolf. And Jiraiya noticed that Naruto's leg bones had changed, snapped into different positions so they were like an animal's hinds legs, like a canine's haunches. Naruto screamed then as two physical tails ripped from his backside, their downy golden hair blazing in the red Chakra shell._

_Naruto screamed once more as a third tail erupted from his backside, and then it transferred from a scream to a guttural growl. Naruto clawed the earth and hissed, "Nobody hurts those precious to me! NO ONE!" He howled, and Jiraiya's knees shook in fear. The power radiating off this new Naruto had multiplied as the physical tails manifested. It was almost physically crushing Jiraiya._

_Jiraiya only managed to dodge the blow that came out of nowhere, but it cut deep into his chest. Almost instantly, Jiraiya passed out._

_(END FLASHBACKS)_

Naruto relived the memory as he transformed, but his chakra shell only had one-tail still as he sprouted two physical tails. His Chakra shell grew another tail, and coated the second blond appendage, and Naruto began to growl and scream. He didn't collapse this time, because he was expecting the pain. But, he did fall to his knees.

Sakura, Chiyo, and Shikamaru all watched in horror as two blond tails waved in the air behind Naruto…and Naruto's frame became larger and his leg bones changed shape. They watched as he clawed the ground in desperation, and then finally he grew still, panting as he recovered. Sasori eyed the Jinchuriki with a mix between surprise and revulsion, and then was surprised when Naruto stood on his hind legs. He was much taller now, and the Hokage coat only came down to his knees, and it strained against his much broader shoulders. Naruto glared up at the giant red puppet, and heard a strangled sob from behind him. He glanced behind him, to see Sakura watching with tear-filled eyes full of fear and shock.

"Sakura…" He rasped out softly. His voice was deeper, still raspy, but still Naruto's voice. He gazed at Sakura with concern, and continued. "I'm still in control, Sakura. Don't worry." He knew her, Chiyo, and Shikamaru were being battered by the power pouring off him and she was concerned he would lose himself to the delicious power running through his body.

Sakura cleared the tears from her eyes and nodded, using her iron will to keep the tears from coming anymore. She had been terrified to see Naruto suddenly sprout tails and hear the revolting sound of his bones snapping and re-shaping. She knew though, that he would do his best to stay in control.

Naruto turned to the giant red puppet, and spread his arms out at his sides, clenching and unclenching his fingers. Sasori glared at Naruto, and quickly went about his attack.

The giant red puppet swiped all of its arms, jumping into the air, and Sakura watched in awe as Naruto dodged the giant arms and their razor-sharp razor nails. Naruto was moving fast, not as fast as he could with the Thunder Flicker, but still incredibly fast. He moved with a fluid grace, and the tails waved behind him and actually looked like they belonged.

Naruto dodged to the right of one of the incoming arms, and knew that the longer he was under the Kyuubi's influence, the greater chance he would lose control. He decided to end it fast. He flew up into the air, jumping a good 50 feet until he was at the Devil Puppet's head. He raised his right hand, and started to swirl his Chakra in his palm. A purple Rasengan formed, coated in the red chakra shell as well as Naruto. Naruto knew that there was no way that the puppet could dodge such a blow, not with how large it was.

Sasori watched in surprise as Naruto howled, **"Vermillion Rasengan!"**

He thrust his right hand, and the purple Rasengan smashed into the nose of the Devil Puppet's face. The power of the Vermillion Rasengan was spectacular, emitting a blinding purple flash of light and the Rasengan completely shattered the face and caused the top half of the puppet to explode. Naruto didn't stop there, however, and he darted in through the debris. Giant chunks of wood battered him, but still he flew through the cloud of smoke and debris. When he reached the lower half of the puppet, Sasori used one of the few lower arms still attached and functional, to bat Naruto away.

The impact was cushioned some by the Red Chakra Shell, but Naruto still felt a rib or two break as the massive wooden arm smashed into him. He flew backwards, crying out, and landed with a heavy thud on the cave ground. He quickly picked himself up and formed a familiar hand sign. **"Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!"** He roared, and immediately, several Naruto's appeared. They each looked like Naruto, with tails, extremely thick whisker marks, modified skeletal frames and legs, but they did not have the thick Chakra shell.

Immediately, three out of five ran at the puppet, which Sasori was controlling with great difficulty now that it was heavily damaged and unbalanced. Naruto held out his free right hand, and a clone went to Naruto's left side and held out his left hand. The left over clone stepped in front of them and started to spin a Rasengan. The Rasengan started small and blue, but quickly expanded to the size of a basketball and it turned purple. The Clone disappeared once the Rasengan was formed, and Naruto and the remaining clone sprang at the puppet.

The first three were demolished almost instantly, and then Naruto and his clone rushed the puppet head on. An arm shot at them, it's hand spread wide and ready to crush both the clone and Naruto. Both Naruto's thrust the Rasengan at the incoming hand so it hit the palm head on, and they screamed, "**ODAMA VERMILLION RASENGAN!**"

The Power that exploded from the Rasengan blew everyone clear off their feet, Sasori included. It ripped through the Devil Puppet's arm, sending shockwaves of Kyuubi power driving through the remaining skeleton and burning it and shattering it. Shockwaves of purple and red energy slammed into the Konoha Shinobi, and Sasori, and threw them a good ten feet off the ground. They all hit the ground hard, and stayed down as wave after wave of power battered their bodies and even inflicted a few shallow cuts on their bodies. Finally, when the smoke and the power abated, they all got to their feet.

Naruto stood, chest heaving and knees shaking, in front of a pile of burning kindling. The wood was no longer red, but scorched black, and the pieces that did remain were on fire. There was ash falling around Naruto, as the incinerated pieces of wood rained down on him. Naruto fell to one knee, losing his focus and strength for a moment.

"Damnit!" Hissed Sasori, picking himself up off the ground. He now had only one scroll left…and then it was down to his physical attacks. This Jinchuriki's power level was way beyond anything Sasori had witnessed in his life…and Sasori had foolishly engaged him without his partner at his side.

Sakura turned to Shikamaru. "Shikamaru…you go get Naruto! Chiyo-sama and I will finish this!" She yelled, and she darted forward. Chiyo followed her, leaving Shikamaru to retrieve Naruto. Shikamaru didn't complain though, as he was out of Chakra. Battling the puppets had used a lot of his chakra, and all he had left was maybe enough for a minute's worth of Shadow Possession. He ran to Naruto's side, and thankfully for Shikamaru…the Red Chakra dissipated. Naruto, however, didn't change back to normal. He was still half-animal and half-man. Shikamaru helped the shell-shocked Naruto to his feet and helped to drag him away as Sakura and Chiyo closed in on Sasori.

"Time to end this!" Sakura cried, and Sasori gritted his teeth. Chiyo's one remaining puppet had joined her, so now it was three versus one. Of course, they weren't sure how to kill Sasori, he was sure. But still…they might get lucky. Sasori sprang backwards and grabbed his one remaining scroll off his back. He was all out of tricks after this scroll.

He dodged Chiyo's puppet as she sent it flying at him, and he cursed as it almost sliced his scroll. He protected his scroll with his arm, which became severed and flew off. He didn't pay it much attention as it flew back on, however. Sakura cried out suddenly, "So that's it!"

Sasori panicked. She must have finally picked up on how he was able to re-attach himself and stay living. He hurled the scroll at her in desperation as she suddenly appeared in front of him, her fist cocked back. It hit her, causing her to flinch, which gave him enough time to slash at her while jumping away. Chiyo's puppet, however, landed in front of Sakura and took the hit, which severed it in half at mid-chest. Chiyo was now puppetless, as was Sasori. Now, it was all up to Sakura.

"You aren't completely puppet, are you Sasori?" Sakura asked, and Sasori remained silent. He didn't dare answer her. Chiyo raised her eyebrows at Sakura, surprised. "What do you mean, child?" Chiyo asked.

"I mean…that he has to be part human, otherwise he wouldn't be alive. There is no way he could stay living. There is no such thing as a living puppet. If he were _all_ puppet, he would have to have a puppeteer pulling his strings." Sakura said slowly, and Chiyo seemed thoughtful.

"That is true…isn't it, Sasori?" Sakura asked, and the glint in her eye said it all for Sasori. She had finally pieced it all together, and he was doomed. Now, all he could do was bid for his life.

"If you kill me, you'll lose valuable information." Sasori stated calmly, and Sakura raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Really? Like what?" She asked, and Sasori chuckled.

"Well, for just a tiny instance, locations for several of Orochimaru's secret bases. Or the fact that I have a spy in Orochimaru's ranks, rather close to the snake himself, who has been undercover for many years. I'm supposed to meet him in two months…and get information. If you were to kill me, you wouldn't get that information. That information…and I have information on my organization." He said calmly. He knew that this would almost completely solidify his worth alive, and he smiled softly. The smile that would have seemed charming, seemed vile and grotesque as the scar that decorated his face twisted his features slightly.

Sakura hesitated, as did Chiyo. "Sakura..." Chiyo said, voicing her uncertainty. Sakura quickly went over everything she knew, and looked back at Naruto. He was on his back on the ground, Shikamaru watching over him with concern. If she were to keep Sasori alive, they would know more about Orochimaru so they could get Sasuke back. If she were to kill Sasori, that would be one less Akatsuki member in the world, and one less who would try to kill Naruto. Sakura looked at Chiyo, just as uncertain as the older woman.

Sasori seized his opportunity, springing forward and slashing at both women with his forearm blades. Sakura and Chiyo cried out, trying to spring backwards out of the range. They both knew they wouldn't make it.

Suddenly, Sasori froze, his scythe's inches away from Chiyo and Sakura. He was shaking, eyes wide in surprise. "This move again?" He asked loudly, and Sakura and Chiyo turned around to see Shikamaru with his hands in the seal of the Rat.

"Yes…the Shadow Possession technique again." Shikamaru acknowledged. He had just barely been able to send his shadow rocketing towards Sasori in time.

"Sakura…kill him. I can't hold on to this much longer." Shikamaru called, and Sakura nodded. She clenched her fist, holding it in front of her.

"Any last words, Sasori?" Sakura asked, and Sasori laughed wildly. He was now going to die…there was no other way around it. He couldn't stand up to her blows, not when she could surge her chakra throughout his entire body and break up every last piece of him into smithereens.

"You fought well, for a girl. But, I'll tell you something for being such a worthy opponent, at least. My spy, will be waiting for me on a bridge out in the middle of Grass Country. That's all I'll tell you, the rest you'll have to figure out yourself." He laughed, and Sakura glared at the man.

"Very well." She said, and drew back her fist. She punched Sasori's chest casket once, unleashing a large amount of Chakra from her system. Immediately, Sasori cried out in surprise, and then the chest casket with the 'scorpion' kanji on it exploded. Blood erupted from it, flying out behind Sasori. His form exploded from within, thanks to Sakura's chakra punch, and that was the end of Sasori of the Red Sands.

Chiyo sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. She fought back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes, as she realized that her own grandchild was finally dead. The Grandchild that should never have turned out the way he did. She was surprised when Sakura laid a hand on her shoulder gently. "Chiyo-sama…" She said softly, and Chiyo nodded. The world was rid of an evil, and her actions had been necessary.

They turned together, seeing Shikamaru shaking. "Wow…I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to deactivate the Shadow Possession technique in time. I almost died." He whispered, shaking his head quickly. He shivered, but then turned to Naruto. The sound of bones cracking and reshaping filled the air, and Naruto moaned in pain as his body went back to normal.

Sakura ran over to him, and kneeled at his side. His gaze was distant, glazed over slightly…and she realized that the power he had used was straining his system. She quickly cast a quick diagnostic Jutsu and placed it on his stomach, to see if there was anything else wrong besides 'Chakra Shock'. She called it 'Chakra Shock' because he was overloaded form the amount of power he used, completely unused to the amount he unleashed. She was surprised to find that Naruto's Inner Coils system was re-shaping…and was much larger than it had been just a few days ago.

Naruto grabbed one of her wrists gently, drawing her attention. She looked over at his face, which had a slightly vacant look, and into his deep blue eyes. "Sakura…where is the plant-guy?" He asked, and Sakura glanced over where the large crater was. She could see three other Naruto's guarding Zetsu carefully, so she knew he was still there.

"He's still where you left him." She murmured, and Naruto nodded. "You over-exerted yourself Naruto…" She continued to say, and Naruto nodded again. "It was huge. I had to pump out a lot of power to do that."

"You shouldn't have done that. You could have managed without doing that…" Sakura murmured. She could tell his muscles were injured as well, with two broken ribs, and of course his internal organs were burned form the sudden flaring of his Chakra system. She shook her head, and prepared a Jutsu, when Naruto spoke.

"No, don't bother, Sakura-chan. I'll be fine. But, we do need to paralyze or bind that other Akatsuki." Naruto said, indicating to the crater. Sakura nodded and turned to Chiyo.

"Do you know any immobilizing Jutsu? I know a couple, but I want to stay with him." She asked, and Chiyo nodded. "I shall immobilize him." She said, and went off to the crater. Shikamaru helped Sakura lift Naruto into the sitting position, and he asked, "Naruto…what happened to you?"

Naruto glanced away from them for a moment, but then looked back. "I…I'm not quite sure, myself. I know the general, just not the specific." Naruto said, and Sakura gave him a look that made him quickly speak up. "The general idea is that the Kyuubi's anger and mine synchronized, bonding us together. Through that bond, he somehow influences a change in my physical make-up, making me part fox and part human. I also grow tails, in case you didn't notice." He said, and their looks said they did notice. Naruto carried on. "Well, those tails make me part demon. Half human, half demon, with tails of power like the tailed beasts. That, mixed with my Chakra Shell, it creates a heck of a lot of power, as you've seen. This is only my second time transforming, so I didn't quite understand how much power I could harness. But still…that's what happened." Naruto said, and he was surprised as Sakura wrapped him in a hug.

"Don't. EVER. Scare me like that again!" She whispered fiercely, and he could feel her trembling body shaking against his. He gathered her in his arms and held her tight, cradling her against himself. He could tell she was battling tears, fighting the urge to cry. He held her, wishing he could protect her from the fear she had felt that was now surfacing again. He breathed gently in her ear, "Sakura…I'm sorry. I really am." He said. She didn't answer, but sobbed now.

"I guess I am a demon…" He murmured softly. In his mind, this was true. He had fought so hard to prove he wasn't a demon, that he wasn't the Kyuubi, but in the end he ended up synching with the beast who was in his belly. He was a demon, no matter how much he denied it. And then Sakura's face flashed into his mind, full of fear and horror as she looked upon his changed visage. He started to remove her from his lap, to push her away and distance her from himself so she wouldn't be offended or disgusted or afraid of him anymore.

She clung tight to him, however, arms looped around his chest and holding him tight. "Sakura-chan…" He murmured, reverting back to his old nickname for her, "let go…" He whispered. He fought back the tears as he felt himself rip apart his own heart with his action. He was a demon, she had seen it and feared it, and he wouldn't let her be involved with him if she feared him. Love could not live in fear.

"No." She whispered, determinedly. She didn't understand the change…she was confused by his sudden actions and words. She stayed on his lap, holding him. She could see a stony emotionless mask over his face…blocking what he was feeling from her. His eyes, however, told her of pain and she could see the tears welling up. His words were as painful as his actions, to her. He had called her 'Sakura-chan' without emotion…reverting not just back to her old nickname but doing so with a coldness that matched Sasuke's.

"Sakura-chan let go." He said, a bit more firmly this time. She could hear the pain in his voice, and the coldness and indifference he was trying to feel. She felt just as she had the night Sasuke had left her…before he had knocked her unconscious and laid her on a bench. She let her grip go slack, and he moved her off his lap, and stood. He didn't look down at her, but turned to Shikamaru.

"I'm going to get Gaara's body. I'll be back." He said curtly, and Shikamaru nodded. He kept his face guarded, and watched as Naruto sprang away, running from the cave. He disappeared at the mouth of the cave, jumping away to retrieve Gaara.

"Sakura…what…?" He asked, clearly wondering exactly what she was wondering. Sakura brought her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around her knees. She allowed her tears to flow down her cheeks as she whispered, "What did I do?" She then rested her forehead on her knees…and sobbed. Shikamaru knelt by her side, and Chiyo came back with the three Naruto's holding a stiff Akatsuki member on their shoulders between them.

"What did I do?" Sakura asked louder, confused and exasperated. She stood, wiping her tears away and letting anger bloom from the pain she was feeling. She glared at the cave opening, and then turned to Shikamaru and Chiyo. "Wait here. I'll be back." She said, and bolted off after Naruto, leaving Shikamaru and Chiyo and three Naruto Shadow Clones.

'_Damn it, Naruto…you'd better have a hell of a good explanation for making me feel like this!'_ Sakura raged, and felt both the urge to inflict major physical harm upon the boy she cared so much for…and the urge to grab onto him and cry on his shoulder and demand to know why he was such an ass. She chased after Naruto, feeling for his Chakra Signature, desperate for him to give her a reason for breaking her heart like he had.

Hey ya'll that's finally the end. I just left it with some NaruxSaku drama, but next chap will have the resolution of it and then the resolution of Kakashi and Team Guy. And then of course, you'll get to find out if I decide to keep to the story line and let Gaara live. As much as I love Gaara, I might just decide to kill him. It would give Naruto a heck of an incentive to go after the Akatsuki, instead of leaving him with Gaara alive. So, sweat it out! You'll see next chapter! Oh, and I want to know, how many of you are NaruxHina fans? I am thinking about making a NaruxHina story to write as well. And, I want to know if you guys would read it. I know I'm a NaruxHina fan all the way, but I just wanted Naruto and Sakura together in one story of my making. So, Lemme know if any of you would read it!


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note:

Author's Note:

Dear readers…I AM GOING TO ANSWER REVIEWS!! GASP! NO WAY!! ;)

LonewolfBloodstorm: I'm not sure I'd like making a NarutoxHinata AND Sakura story. As much as it's appealing to make Naruto have two girls, so that way he doesn't have to choose between the two…I don't think I'd really be too comfortable with it. I'll consider it at least…

ChiaPet: Thanks! I look forward to hearing from you in a review of my NaruxHina story that was just posted! :D

Coolgfunny: I find it hilarious. 'Wasn't that bad.' Hahaha. You make me laugh! :D Thanks for the review, nonetheless.

Kidloco: Question…what did you mean by 'thump up for that chapter'? ;) Joking. Thanks for the thumbs up!

Kaiser Spartan: Naruto is not half-demon unless he merges with the Kyuubi. He is _not_ considered a demon unless he merges with the Kyuubi and transforms into his pre-described state. And honestly, I don't know. I think that Naruto's soul, and Kyuubi's soul would be separated if Naruto were to die. I don't even want to think of Naruto dying right now, though, hahaha. But thanks for the thought-provoking question. I'll dwell on that…and maybe for an ending of the story…you might get an answer to that question.

Foreverbobae: Thank you very much. I'm glad that you're enjoying the story so far! And I agree…it's very nice to have Naruto paired with Sakura…so he can actually have what he's desired for so long. :) It's a nice change, isn't it?

I forget the name, I'M SORRY! (UU') but the person who wrote the review: No I'm not a NaruHina fan.

And for your other chapter, it is least likely that Sakura will be paired  
with Sasuke. But, things could change.

I'm not quite sure what you meant, honestly. 0o Thanks for your input though…

And finally, one of my favorite reviewers, if not for name alone!! Quivering Quill:

I am sorry that you don't have patience for the fighting scenes. I wish I could just deal with the relationship aspect of the story…but Naruto is a Shonen. Action, fighting, bad guys, and more and more fighting! ;) Lol…but seriously, I won't deviate from the fighting, and I apologize, but I want to stick to the Shonen theme…but with the romance and drama that Shonen usually doesn't have too much of. Please, forgive me for that, but thank you for your review!

**NOW!! I noticed that no one really showed any reaction to Naruto's transformation. I was surprised at that…like, beyond belief. I expected to be flamed horribly. :D But I SURVIVED!! Lol. Okay, I just want some feedback if you guys thought it was good or not, but here's the next chapter, regardless!!**

Lost in the Green Seas

Previously on Lost in the Green Seas:

"_What did I do?" Sakura asked louder, confused and exasperated. She stood, wiping her tears away and letting anger bloom from the pain she was feeling. She glared at the cave opening, and then turned to Shikamaru and Chiyo. "Wait here. I'll be back." She said, and bolted off after Naruto, leaving Shikamaru and Chiyo and three Naruto Shadow Clones._

'Damn it, Naruto…you'd better have a hell of a good explanation for making me feel like this!' _Sakura raged, and felt both the urge to inflict major physical harm upon the boy she cared so much for…and the urge to grab onto him and cry on his shoulder and demand to know why he was such an ass. She chased after Naruto, feeling for his Chakra Signature, desperate for him to give her a reason for breaking her heart like he had._

CONTINUATION:

"Kakashi!"

Might Guy's voice blasted into Kakashi's ear, as well as the traveling members of Team Guy. Neji, Tenten, and Lee all looked towards Kakashi at the same time.

"Guy? What's wrong?" Kakashi asked. He could hear the strain in his rival's voice...and he knew something was up. Guy hardly ever strained this much unless he was fighting pretty intensely.

"How far away are you? Are you close?" Guy asked, and Kakashi's eyebrows rose in surprise. Guy was never like this…so he had to be in dire straights to be so ready for backup.

"We're almost to the cliffs now. Don't worry…just hold out for a bit longer, Guy." Kakashi said, and signaled to Neji. He removed his hand from the mike, so the words he was about to speak wouldn't be broadcast to Guy.

"Neji, Tenten circle to the right. Lee, you're with me. We're going to pincer attack the clone." Kakashi ordered. Kakashi sprang from the edge of one cliff, and Lee followed him. Tenten and Neji sprang off to the right, and the high cliff they sprang off allowed Kakashi to see Might Guy in the distance.

He actually couldn't see Guy, he was moving so fast, but he could see the cliffs shattering, the craters suddenly coming into existence, and he could hear the ferocious yells and explosions. He and Lee sprang off to the left, and Kakashi closed his right eye, so only his Sharingan was exposed. He could see the blurs more clearly, and could make out two Guy's battling with such intensity that even the unemotional clone seemed strained.

Kakashi could see Neji and Tenten rapidly close in, as fast as he and Lee were, and soon they were in range. The dust and debris that blasted them hindered them and their view slightly, but that was why Kakashi had Lee come with him…and Neji go with Tenten. The Byakugan and the Sharingan could see through all the dirt and dust and rocks easily, and the other two would follow the two leads. Neji seemed to have grasped that idea easily, Kakashi could tell by how he moved perfectly coordinated and told Tenten where to go.

"Lee…follow my lead and attack directly where I'm attacking. Try to keep up with your Sensei's clone, in case I miss." Kakashi said, and then keyed his mike.

"NEJI, TENTEN, NOW!" He cried, and sprang forward into the dust. He could feel Lee follow easily as he burst forward with all his remaining speed. Kakashi quickly flew through hand seals as he rocketed towards the Guy Clone, and he could see Neji rapidly approaching. Kakashi blew a fire Jutsu, while a hailstorm of weapons flew towards the clone from above. Neji darted in underneath the clone's guard as it turned to see the incoming fire Jutsu. The weapons all hit the clone, while Neji blasted it with a Jyuken strike to the back, and then the Fire Jutsu incinerated the clone. Instantly, the Clone melted into the ground, leaving everyone still and panting while they waited for the dust and debris to settle.

They could hear Guy coughing, as well as Tenten, and finally the smoke cleared. Guy stood, panting and swaying on his feet, clearly worse for the wear. Lee ran to his Sensei's side and quickly supported the older man. Guy muttered his thanks, and coughed out, "Kakashi…what's the status with Gaara?"

Kakashi paused…and looked at Guy. "He's dead. I managed to wound one of the Akatsuki, after Naruto lost his head and chased him down, but another Akatsuki rescued him. I don't know anything more than that." Kakashi said, earning a disappointed shake of the head from Neji.

"So we were too late to save Gaara…" Neji murmured, and Lee grit his teeth. Tenten gave both boys on her squad sympathetic looks. Neji was close to Gaara only in the fact that the redhead and he had been brought to their senses by Naruto…Naruto was their bond. Lee, however, had grown quite fond of Gaara over the years. They had been enemies so many years ago, but after Lee had recovered and had been saved by Gaara…their relationship was close. The Kazekage and Lee had actually corresponded over the years. Lee lowered his head, shaking slightly.

Might Guy glanced at his younger look-a-like and gave the young man a hug. "Lee…" He murmured, trying to comfort the young man.

"Imagine…if we're feeling this…imagine how Naruto is feeling." Neji murmured, immediately earning Lee's attention. "Naruto-kun and Gaara-kun both shared the same burden and same pain…they were the closest…I can't imagine what kind of pain Naruto-kun is going through right now." Lee whispered. They all nodded, silent.

"We need to get back to help the others if we can." Kakashi said suddenly, turning around. Guy nodded, and Lee said, "Yosh. Let us hope the fun hasn't ended without us!" His voice had the volume…but lacked its usual enthusiasm.

Suddenly, Kakashi felt a surge of familiar chakra. His eyes widened as he felt the ancient anger and malevolent intent seeping from the power. "Naruto…" Kakashi murmured. The power radiating from the Akatsuki cave was distant…but it was still overwhelming. He could almost feel the power rippling through the air, and it made him afraid. It was even stronger than the night of the party in Konoha, when Naruto had lost control.

"Naruto-kun!" Lee shouted, instantly worried. Neji seemed just as worried, but in his quieter way. His eyes were squinted and his Byakugan was active. Kakashi looked to the Hyuuga Jonin. Neji narrated for them.

"I can't quite see into the cave…but I can tell you that the power we feel here isn't much power, considering how concentrated it is at the cave. It's practically blinding my Byakugan, it's so intense. We need to go…right now." Neji said, and he sprang into the air and towards the direction of the cave. Tenten and Kakashi followed immediately, and Lee followed a bit more slowly as he supported Guy and they jumped together.

Kakashi, even as he advanced towards the cave, could feel the pressure and intensity and angry power increase every few feet. It was already powerful…but as he grew closer it seemed too familiar. Like the time on the bridge in Wave Country. Or even worse…eerily reminisce of one nightmarish night 15 years ago…

_(Flashback)_

_Kakashi Hatake, one of the greatest ninja in Konoha…had many names. His favorite, The Copy Ninja, was given to him for his massive knowledge of Jutsu. He had copied more Jutsu than any other Sharingan user in the entire history of the Uchiha Clan, and successfully used every one. Over ninety Jutsu were easily commanded with his incredible speed and precision. He was an Anbu, at only the age of 19. He was one of the highest listed enemy ninja in the Bingo Books everywhere. However…none of this helped him. Not even his impressive knowledge and use of Jutsu._

_He was casting Jutsus at an alarming rate, with such speed and skill that had they not been dying around him…the other Shinobi would have been in awe. As it was, very few eyes were on him. They were all to occupied with the hulking monstrosity in front of them. Red fur, blazing red eyes, 9 tails…and Chakra roiling off its body like an aura of concentrated hate…it was the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, the Kyuubi._

_Kakashi finished casting an extremely large fireball, and watched in muted disbelief as it simply dissipated against the aura of the Nine-tails. Kakashi then cursed softly under his breath as he dodged a shockwave that ripped through trees and men, and he was stunned it was caused only by one of the massive tails whipping through the air. He knew their cause was lost…nothing was working and there was nothing that could touch the massive Demon. He jumped through the air, dodging limbs and chunks of men and trees and rocks. When he landed, he landed on what was once a tree, but was now a stump. He glanced around and saw a good ten Anbu still standing, but only five or six Chunin and Jonin. He gritted his teeth and quickly tried to think of any Jutsu he hadn't tried already, so he could try to find the beast's weakness._

_Suddenly, Kakashi heard a loud voice, ringing with authority, yell, "__**KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU! **__(__**Summoning Technique!**__)"_

_A massive explosion of smoke obscured the Nine-Tailed fox from Kakashi's view. He felt a surge of Chakra from the Fox, radiating with killing intent and a blazing hatred. Kakashi fell to one knee, as the Chakra battered his senses and overpowered him. He gasped in shock at the power, but was surprised even more when the smoke cleared finally._

_A familiar giant red Toad, wearing a robe and smoking a giant pipe while holding a sword, had been summoned. Kakashi gasped out the name, "Gamabunta!"_

_He squinted, and his eyes widened behind his dog Anbu mask. Standing atop the Chief Toad, Gamabunta, was his old Sensei. "Minato…you want me to fight with you against him? I may be strong…but I can't be expected to win against someone like him!" Gamabunta's giant voice echoed through the air, and Kakashi listened with pride as he heard his mentor, and former Hokage's, voice answer right back._

"_No, 'Bunta. All I need, is for you to hold him. I believe in you…all I need is a few moments." He, being one of the ones closest to Gamabunta and his mentor, could hear his sensei's soft but stern voice speaking to Gamabunta._

"_All right, Minato…I hope you know what you're doing!" Gamabunta said, and hefted his giant sword in one hand. Kakashi then noticed something peculiar…Minato was holding a bundle of cloth in his arms. He heard a shrill cry, and he felt a shiver run down his spine. No…it couldn't be._

"_MINATO!" Kakashi yelled. Minato had his son, his only son, in his arms. Naruto had been born just a few days ago, Kushina had been buried just this morning. Not many knew of Kushina Uzumaki's death, or Minato's son. Minato had gone into seclusion, allowing only a few close friend's to witness the joyous occasion…and he had sworn them all to secrecy. But now…Kakashi was afraid his mentor had lost his mind in grief…bringing his own child out onto a battlefield._

_He could have sworn that he saw Minato glance down at him…but it was only for a moment. Kakashi watched as Gamabunta's leg muscles tensed, and he heard his instructor say, "Not yet, 'Bunta! I'm almost ready…but don't leap until I say 'go'!"_

_Gamabunta only grunted in response, and Kakashi watched as his instructors' hands seemed to blur, even as he held his child in his arms. Then, Minato seemed to shudder, and he gave a small cry of pain. Kakashi was about to spring to his friend's side, but Minato straightened._

"_**REAPER DEATH SEAL (Shiki Fujin)!**__" Minato cried, and he went rigid, but held tight to his son. Kakashi could still feel the malicious chakra of the fox, but it was lessened slightly as the fox watched its newest prey. Then…Minato yelled, "NOW GAMABUNTA!"_

_With earth-shaking force, Gamabunta sprang forward. Kakashi was sure that Minato would have flown off…had he not known of Minato's skill. He watched as Gamabunta sprang forward, and swung his mighty blade. The Fox snarled and quickly raised its two front paws and blocked the blade. Both behemoths locked together, and then suddenly the fox tucked it's ears back. A blinding blue flash of light erupted from Minato, causing Kakashi to throw his arms up to block his face from the blinding light._

_Kakashi heard a deafening scream of pain come from the fox, and he could just barely hear a baby's wail. Then abruptly, the roar died, and the light disappeared. Kakashi lowered his arms slowly…and gaped in astonishment. Gamabunta stood alone, with only a wailing infant upon his head. Kakashi body-flickered up to the toad's head, and saw that there was no sign of Minato. The only thing there, was the infant Naruto. Kakashi watched in surprise as a black seal swirled into existence on the baby's stomach and three lines appeared on each cheek. Kakashi stooped and picked up the baby as it screamed in either pain, or fear, or both._

_He wrapped the baby in its pale creamy yellow blanket, and spoke to the huffing toad. "What happened?" He asked loudly. He rocked the baby slightly, scared and unsure._

"_Minato said…he was going to seal the Fox into the baby's stomach. He left a letter, he said, at yours, and the Third Hokage's houses for you to find. I'm tired…and wounded…I must go." Gamabunta breathed out, huffing. Kakashi sprang off, flying through the air and towards the damaged forest below. He looked at Gamabunta, who seemed to have burns on his arms and face. Kakashi bowed, and Gamabunta eyed him._

"_Minato wanted me to make sure you promised to protect him as best as you could…and not tell him of his lineage until he's ready. Can you promise that?" Gamabunta's raspy, echoing voice asked. Kakashi nodded._

"_I promise." Kakashi said loudly, as he fought back the tears that threatened to spill down his cheeks. His mentor, his friend…was dead. Gone, somehow, with the Kyuubi._

"_Good…keep your word…don't let Minato down." Gamabunta rasped, and with an explosion of smoke, the massive summoned toad disappeared. Kakashi realized suddenly that the Third Hokage was now standing next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder._

"_Kakashi…" The Third choked out, his voice betraying his roiling emotions._

"_Lord Hokage…Naruto is alive." Murmured Kakashi, looking down at the wailing, yet beautiful infant. He swore under his breath, "Naruto…no matter what…I promise you I'll protect you. I'll keep you safe, even when it seems no one is there."_

(_End Flashback_)

Kakashi was yanked forcefully out of his reverie by the shocking absence of the Kyuubi chakra. What had been so physically oppressive…disappeared without a trace. Kakashi suddenly felt sick. It was so sudden…it wasn't natural. It couldn't have just disappeared. That could only mean Naruto was…

"Kakashi! I can see inside the cave! Naruto…he's down! I can't tell from this range if he's alive or not…but Shikamaru is retrieving him. Sakura and Chiyo-sama are attacking someone." Neji yelled. He was trying to be heard over the rushing wind that blew in their ears as they traveled as fast as they could. They were rapidly drawing near to the cave.

"NO!" Kakashi yelled, and even though he was almost empty on Chakra…he let loose an explosive amount as he pushed off the ground and he ran faster. He now took the lead, and Neji followed suit.

"Naruto-kun!" Lee yelled, and he increased his own pace. They all raced at break-neck speed, their surroundings blurring due to their inhuman speed. At all of their hearts a fierce icy claw of fear was squeezing, all of them afraid for their favorite blond.

"No…no…" Neji muttered underneath his breath. His usually stoic and impassive face was drawn tight in anguish. His Byakugan could sense no movement, no heartbeat, and no vitals at all from Naruto. Of course, he couldn't really tell too much from this range, even at the speed they were going.

It took a good ten minutes, ten minutes that seemed like hours, weeks and years. Each minute was a lifetime in its own right…until finally Neji could see Sakura win their battle. He said so, and then practically gasped in relief as he finally got in range to see the Chakra coursing through Naruto. "NARUTO'S ALIVE!" Neji shouted, unable to stop himself.

"YOSH!" Lee yelled in joy, and Kakashi whooped. Very uncharacteristic of him…but he still did it.

"Sakura's taking care of him now! It looks like everyone's fine!" Neji continued to report, and then was startled as he saw Naruto's physical form. Chakra surged throughout his enhanced and morphed body, and Neji saw the chakra break and reform the bones into a normal human skeleton. He didn't report what he was seeing…mainly because there was no real way he could.

He watched, as Sakura and Naruto embraced, and he smiled. "Yes…everything's fine. It also appears we have an Akatsuki member captured alive." Neji said. He grinned at his friends and teammates, and they grinned right back.

Then, Neji's grin faded. He could see Sakura and Naruto…Naruto trying to get Sakura off. His Byakugan, which not only read Chakra pathways, internal vitals, and could see internal organs and skeletal functions…could read the emotion and meaning behind actions. He watched as he interpreted both of the Konoha Shinobi's actions.

Naruto was in pain…not just physically. He was hurt, he was depressed, dejected…and Neji interpreted his body stature as he stood. He was borderline frantic. Neji frowned, and Kakashi noticed it.

"What? What's wrong?" Kakashi asked.

"Neji?" Tenten asked, echoing the concern everyone was feeling now.

"Um…I…I'm not sure…" Neji admitted, and he was glad that they were just a few hundred yards from the cave entrance. He watched as Naruto ran out of the cave, and then he realized now that they were in regular sight distance of the cave entrance.

"Was that Naruto?" Kakashi asked. He had seen a streak of motion coming from the mouth of the cave. He couldn't make out whom it was, though.

"Yes…and Sakura's following him. Something happened between them…" Neji said softly. As they drew close, they saw Sakura spring out of the mouth of the cave, and Kakashi sighed.

"Okay…here's the deal. I'll go after them. You assist Shikamaru and Chiyo with the Akatsuki. I'll meet up with you guys as soon as this is taken care of." Kakashi said. He couldn't have those two out by themselves if there were potentially more Akatsuki around.

Neji nodded, and they broke off their jumps to separate paths. Kakashi thought, _'What could be wrong between them? They were doing so well…'_

He bounded off to the higher cliffs outside the cave, and realized, as he sensed their chakra signatures, that they were headed towards Gaara's body. He quickly headed there, curious as to what happened between the young couple.

--

Naruto staggered into the clearing where he had left Gaara's body...blinded by his tears. He stumbled forward blindly, until one of his clones silently grabbed his arms and brought him to Gaara's body. Naruto fell to his knees, landing next to the cold corpse of Gaara. He was shaking…and he could feel the silent stares of his clones.

He choked out, "S-Sakura-chan…" He started to say, and all of his clones feared the worst.

"What happened?" They cried out, grabbing him and shaking him. He numbly stayed on his knees, but was shaken like a rag doll until one clone called for order.

"Let him speak!" It cried. All the clones let go, and they waited with fear for Naruto's words.

"She…is afraid of me. She…she saw me transform…into that one form. I…I can't face her. She's afraid of me, she's seen that I'm a demon!" Naruto cried out, and wiped his eyes. However, the hot tears spilled down his cheeks regardless of how much he wiped them away. He looked down, through his blurry vision, at Gaara's body.

"Gaara…it seems that in the end I was nothing more than a demon, no matter how much I fought it." Naruto sobbed out.

"Our father…wanted us to be a hero! Not a demon! We aren't a demon!" Yelled one Naruto, indicating to his Yondaime robe.

"OUR FATHER WANTED IT…BUT IN THE END I STILL BECAME A DEMON!" Naruto screamed, transforming his fear and pain into rage. He scrambled to his feet, and threw a punch at the clone who had spoken. It detonated as his fist met its face, and Naruto whirled on the other clones. They backed up slowly, guarding hesitantly.

"RRRAAAAAGGGHHHH!" Naruto screamed, and felt his vision shift. He knew his appearance changed as his state changed due to his emotional distress.

He flew at the remaining clones, tearing at them with his claws and destroying them. They screamed in pain, shock, and surprise, as he savagely obliterated them. When they were gone, Naruto formed a hand seal.

"**KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU **(**Shadow Clone Jutsu!**)" He cried, and hundreds of clones popped into existence around him. They had his red eyes, battered and shredded clothing, and same wild look. He could see how others saw him now, and it only incensed him further. He accessed as much energy as he could, and burst into action. He knew he was only a blur as he ripped through the clones, but he didn't let up. He slashed, clawed, ripped, gouged, pummeled, and tore his way through his clones with rage-fueled power.

He cried as he did so, his clone's memories blossoming in his head and filling his head with visions of a demonic blond boy destroying himself…and finally there were no clones left. Naruto was left standing next to Gaara's body…crying loudly. He clenched his fists tightly, and fell to his knees once more.

"DAMNIT!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, ripping his throat and vocal cords as he screamed his pain and rage to the skies. He could see the memories of his clones, the images of him ripping them apart…and it only made his despair even stronger.

"Why…why…" He sobbed, clawing desperately at the ground. Suddenly, he felt a Chakra presence standing at the edge of the clearing. He hastily stood, staggering with fatigue, and put his back to the person. He hastily wiped away his tears, and rasped out, "What, Sakura-chan? I'll bring Gaara's body to the cave in a moment."

He expected a beating, to be yelled at, or a hundred other things that Sakura normally did to him…but he didn't expect to feel arms wrap around his arms and chest tightly. He was about to push her away, to tell her that she needed to go back to the cave, when he heard her whisper in his ear, "Just shut up, you baka…before you make me want to hit you even more." He wisely did as she said…staying silent…and waiting for the inevitable beating. He braced himself when she took a deep breath, about to speak.

--

Sakura had followed Naruto closely, and had felt Kakashi and the other's chakra signatures approaching. She then felt Kakashi leap towards her, as she dodged through the forest and followed Naruto's Chakra signature. She knew Kakashi must have known something was up, and was just making sure they were okay. So, she continued until she found the clearing, and she stopped just at the edge, hiding behind a bush.

She had seen Naruto's clones lead him to Gaara's body…and he fell to his knees. She could see he was sobbing, shaking…and she had heard his voice say her name. At first, she had thought he was calling her out, but then she realized he was talking to his clones. They immediately panicked, trying to find out what happened to her. What she heard next…had torn her apart.

"She…is afraid of me. She…she saw me transform…into that one form. I…I can't face her. She's afraid of me, she's seen that I'm a demon!" He cried, and Sakura gasped quietly. So that was the reason…

He looked down at Gaara's body, and Sakura saw how peaceful the dead Kazekage looked. But at the same time,…it was an eerie reminder of the Akatsuki's goal: to kill Naruto and extract his demon. She heard him murmur, "Gaara… it seems that in the end I was nothing more than a demon, no matter how much I fought it."

She felt her heart break at the proclamation…because she knew she had caused it. She had been terrified of Naruto…she had been afraid, and even thought for a moment that he had indeed turned into a demon. But to hear him say it himself…that he was the demon he had fought so hard and so long not to be…it tore her apart.

Then, one of the clones, filled with the fiery determination she loved Naruto for…yelled at the real one. "Our father…wanted us to be a hero! Not a demon! We aren't a demon!" He yelled, and he jerked a thumb at the Yondaime robe he was wearing.

Naruto screamed at the clone, making her jump. "OUR FATHER WANTED IT…BUT IN THE END I STILL BECAME A DEMON!" He screamed, and he leapt to his feet. She was doubly surprised when he punched the clone and destroyed it. The other clones backed up in surprise, raising their arms to be ready to guard against an attack.

Naruto screamed, ""RRRAAAAAGGGHHHH!" and then attacked the clones. He attacked with such ferocity and speed that the clones were gone within a few seconds. He snarled as he formed more Kage Bunshin, and Sakura's eyes widened. She trembled as she felt his anger roll off him in almost physical waves, without him even truly channeling the Kyuubi's chakra. He turned in her direction, and she froze as she saw the blazing red eyes once more. They seemed to stare right at her, but she knew that she was masking her presence well enough for him not to notice her yet.

Then, he sprang into action against the countless Shadow Clones who looked exactly like him. She watched as tears ran out of his eyes as he cried…all the while ripping apart his shadow clones. She could almost feel the anger intensify…but she also knew it wasn't just anger. He was afraid…honestly afraid that he was the demon. She could tell, reading him in these few moments of emotional vulnerability, what he had felt and was feeling. He was angry that he had turned out as he had, angry he had failed Gaara, and so desperate for someone to love him without fear. She didn't know how she really knew it…just that she did.

Naruto finally demolished the last of the clones, shaking with emotion. He fell to his knees, and roared, "DAMNIT!" Sakura flinched as he yelled as loudly as he could, and then heard him murmuring something under his breath as he clawed at the ground. He was in pain…a lot of it. Right now, she didn't want to be angry with him. She felt hurt that he would push her away…but she was no longer angry. She pitied him…and yet she loved him, and she would never abandon him. She steeled herself and stepped from her hiding place.

Naruto stiffened, and then quickly staggered to his feet, keeping his back to her. She saw him hastily wipe his tears away as he rasped out, "What, Sakura-chan? I'll bring Gaara's body to the cave in a moment."

Sakura fought the urge to hit him for calling her 'Sakura-chan' once more…and took a deep calming breath. She knew that right now, he needed someone to be strong for him. He was strong, he always had been. But, after being strong for all his life…and even more so than usual the past couple of years after everything had happened…he needed someone to be strong for him. He was shattering, at the loss of Gaara, the shock of seeing her afraid of him, at the fear of being a demon…and the fear of being discarded by his friends.

She stepped forward softly, and then when she reached him, wrapped her arms around him. She hugged his back, resting her face against his firm shoulder. He was shaking slightly, and she felt his muscles start to tense. Just as he did when he pushed her away in the cave. She held on tighter, and whispered, "Just shut up, you baka…before you make me want to hit you even more."

He heeded her words, not speaking or even moving. She fought back tears as her lips quivered. She felt something in her…something strange and alien…yet very welcome. She felt as if her heart…wasn't beating to its own time. It was beating in time to Naruto's. She could feel his anguish…his fear, his uncertainty. Every flicker of emotion. She could feel the pain he was going through, and she wondered how he could have stood it for all these years. Then, the emotions she felt disappeared, and she took a breath. She felt him tense once more, but she still spoke.

Her voice trembled, surprising both of them. Just that brief flash of emotion had nearly undone her…but she fought on. "Naruto…don't push me away…please. Please, don't go." She whispered, and she seemed to almost relive the night Sasuke had left.

"I'll do whatever I can to make you happy. Please. Just don't leave me, or push me away." She whispered, crying softly. "I'm sorry I hurt you…I'm sorry I was afraid of you…just don't leave me! Please!" She cried. She felt so weak, when she needed to be strong for him, just as she had three years ago. She had been too weak, always relying on Sasuke and Naruto to be strong for her. Now…she was reduced once more to that sobbing girl.

"Please…Naruto-kun!" She cried, and held tight to him.

"I'm a demon, Sakura-chan…you can't deny that." He croaked out, fighting back tears of his own. She trembled, but didn't let go of him.

"I will! I will deny it! You are Naruto…not the Kyuubi, no matter what 'transformations' you go through! You are my Naruto, the same one I've known most of my life! I'd go through hell for you, Naruto! No matter how much I have to do , I'll do anything to prove to you that I love you!" She cried, and she felt a little tension drain out of him.

"Sakura-chan…you can't. Love can't live in fear…and you are afraid…" He murmured. She grit her teeth as his words hit home.

"I don't care! I love you, and I will no matter what! If you were to turn into the Kyuubi himself, I'd still love you! I'd fight for you, live for you, die for you…kill for you! I love you…no matter how scared I was of you! I may be scared of you at times, but that's because you control a power I have no idea how you can control! You hold a power that's deadly, scary…but you're still Naruto, even through all that!" She whispered. She was afraid he would leave her now…leave her for not being strong enough to not be afraid of him.

"Sakura…how can you love me if you fear me? How can you love me if I'm a demon?" He whispered. She was still holding him tightly, and she could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

She let go of him, but then grabbed him by the shoulders and forcefully turned him to face her. She then grabbed him, and pressed her lips hard against his. He was shocked as she planted an open-mouth kiss on him, sucking gently on his bottom lip. She pulled back as he was about to kiss her back, and she looked into his eyes and mustered as much resolve as she could.

"I will _not_ give you up. And on top of that, you baka…you are not a demon. You are the same boy you've always been…well, maybe not the same. You're not so much of an idiot, and you're stronger and more handsome…but your core is the same. You have values, and have made promises that a demon never would have had or made. Like when you promised that you would bring Sasuke back. You have a good heart, and I'm pretty sure that demon's don't." Sakura said firmly, shaking him slightly. She had to get it through his head that she wouldn't go away or give up.

Naruto looked into her eyes with uncertainty, and she leaned forward again and kissed him. This time, it was gentle, reassuring, and filled with as much love as she could gather. She could feel the tension and worry and anger and fear all drain out of him as she kissed him tenderly, and she reached one of her hands up and ran it through his golden locks of hair.

He kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her tightly, and allowed himself to believe her words. Sakura wasn't one to say things she didn't mean. He had learned this through the years the hard way. He enjoyed the warmth from her lips, and the caresses of her hands through his hair and on his back. He did as she did, running one hand through the pink tresses of her hair, and the other down her back.

Naruto's kisses picked up in intensity, and Sakura matched it with a fiery passion of her own. She felt a need for him, almost like a physical need for water or air. She felt she would die without him…and she had to make him hers. No matter the cost, to make him hers and keep him with her for life…and beyond life.

Naruto moved his kisses down from her lips, to her jaw-line, and she threw back her head and held tightly to his strong frame. She felt something electric in her body, like all of her cells were tingling and alive with some kind of amazing energy she had never before experienced. She gasped as his kisses moved to her neck, and he gently sucked on the soft skin. She felt her knees tremble, and she was glad that he was holding her up. She fisted her hand that was in his hair, and moaned slightly as she felt his warm mouth on her neck, sucking and kissing delicately…but with a strange fiery passion at the same time.

"N-Naruto…" She gasped in disappointment, as he moved his lips away from her skin. She was sure she would have a hickie…but now she didn't really care. His lips grazed her left ear gently, and his warm breath caressed her skin as he whispered in her ear.

"Sakura…will you be mine? Through everything…no matter how hard it may seem? Mine and only mine?" He whispered, and Sakura felt a shiver run down her spine. His words…held something that wasn't entirely him. She could feel that flash of emotion again…_his_ emotions. Their hearts were beating in synch, and their emotions both matched as well. They had this unbelievable ache, almost a physical ache, from longing for the other. She closed her eyes and whispered her answer.

"Yes…oh, yes. Naruto…from now until forever ends." She whispered back, and she felt his emotions surge. She could feel a primal, but extremely pleasant and addictive, surge of joy completely overwhelm all of his other feelings. She felt that joy in return, happy she could make him feel like this.

"Good." He whispered, and returned his attention back to her neck. She moaned, half in joy and half in the realization that Kakashi was most likely still out there watching. She was about to mention something, when Naruto's mouth left her neck again. She had her eyes closed tightly, overwhelmed from all of the different sensations running through her body and she moaned lightly again. Couldn't he just keep kissing her neck? Why'd he have to stop?

"Sakura…as much as I want to do this…Kakashi's watching." Naruto whispered. She immediately blushed and nodded, opening her eyes. They stepped away from each other for a moment, and Naruto called out, "Kakashi!"

Kakashi stepped into the clearing, his headband lowered over his Sharingan eye, and waving his right hand while his left was in his pocket. "Hey guys! Just checking on you!" He called, and Naruto smirked.

"We'll pick this up, where I left off, once we're back in Konoha." Naruto murmured, causing Sakura to blush. He turned to Kakashi, and called, "Are we gonna meet everyone in the cave?"

Kakashi nodded, and Naruto brusquely turned his back on Kakashi. He then knelt beside Sakura, and she looked down as he gently picked up Gaara's corpse. Despite the strength she knew he wielded…he lifted Gaara's peaceful looking corpse gently, and held him as if he held a fragile doll. The sight of Naruto holding hollow shell that was once the Kazekage, his friend, and one who understood him best…forever burned itself into Sakura's memory.

She saw a dark brown spot appear on the Kazekage's cracked Sand armor, right on his cheek. Naruto was starting to cry again. Sakura understood though…holding a dead body of someone who used to be so alive, someone you shared a special bond with…was not easy. No matter the joy he had experienced just a moment before, it would be dampened by this task.

"Let's go." Naruto said softly, and Sakura thought for a moment he was talking to Gaara. Then, she realized he was talking to her, and she walked with Naruto. Kakashi fell in beside them, and they made their way off the cliff. Sakura was between Kakashi and Naruto…and she cast Kakashi a glance, to the right, out of the corner of her eyes. Kakashi was looking at Naruto with a tear visible in his lone eye. Sakura remembered how Kakashi had spoke every once in a while about losing his comrades in the past…and she knew he sympathized with Naruto.

"Kakashi-sensei…what do I tell Temari? What do I tell Kankuro?" Naruto choked out. They had reached the edge of the cliff, and were now looking down over the river and cave. Kakashi looked at Naruto, and Naruto locked gazes with the elder Ninja.

"You tell them exactly what happened. We didn't make it in time." Kakashi said softly, and Naruto looked away. He let out a shaky breath and for all the heat from the afternoon sun, though it was closer to evening, he could feel no warmth.

"I said I'd do my best to make sure he was okay…" Naruto said softly, and he glanced back down at the Kazekage's face. Despite the cracks in his sand armor…he looked quite peaceful. Naruto wished that he could see Gaara's eyes open one last time. He hadn't even seen the redhead in a long time. The last time…was long before Gaara had become Kazekage. It was right after Sasuke had left…that was for sure.

"And you did, Naruto. But the Hero's best…doesn't always end up saving the day." Kakashi replied sadly, and he hated himself for his words. But, he was revealing the world for all it's cruel and ugly brutality: unfair.

"It should have been. If I had been able to get there faster, done something…I could have saved him." Naruto said, and Sakura saw he was shaking. Kakashi shook his head sadly.

"No, Naruto…you couldn't have. There's no possible way you could have made it in time. There's no way you could have made it into the cave on time…and I know you don't want to hear it, but if it happened…there's nothing you can do but move forward." Kakashi said, and Naruto gritted his teeth.

"Gaara…I'm sorry my best wasn't good enough." Naruto whispered, and squeezed the red-head tight to his chest.

'_**So Shukaku the Ichibi is captured, and his host is dead.'**_ The Kyuubi rumbled softly in the back of Naruto's mind. Naruto, for once, had nothing to say to the Kyuubi. His heart was searing with a pain like he had never felt. His knees gave out on him, and he knelt in the dirt, cradling Gaara.

Sakura knelt next to him, touching his shoulders gently. He shook his head, trying to clear his vision. "No…" He whispered. Maybe through sheer force of will, he could bring him back. He willed, he wished, he fought against the reality with all the power of his mind. Nothing happened except for a deepening of the pain in his heart. It felt like someone had taken a kunai and shoved it deep into his heart.

"No…" He whispered again, and Kakashi made his way to Naruto's left side, near Gaara's head. "Naruto, you can't beat yourself up over it. There was nothing you could do." He said softly.

"No, no, no." Naruto said a bit louder, and burrowed his face into the dead Kazekage's clothing. A wild, uncontrollable tempest burst into existence within his heart, tearing him apart from the inside. He started shaking all over, unable to cope with the reality that was in his arms. Gaara was gone, gone forever and unable to return.

He remembered, suddenly, the day on the Bridge in the Land of waves that he had battled Haku. The day, he had first unleashed Kyuubi power. The day, he had thought Sasuke died. He had to contain his emotions somehow, or his seal would weaken in response. But, as hard as he tried, he couldn't contain the black storm inside of him. It swept him along in it's putrid current, dark emotions tearing at his heart and mind.

"No…" He said softly, and then louder, "No!" And finally a scream that caused Sakura and Kakashi to flinch. "**GAARA!**" He screamed, but it wasn't just his voice. He could feel the fox in his belly, in his mind, was overwhelmed by the same feelings as he was. They screamed together, two voices coming from Naruto's mouth at the same time, unleashing an unholy hell for all to hear. It was like a physical force, and suddenly a wind whipped into existence.

The wind ripped at their clothing and hair. It was a cold, biting wind, and clouds formed and blocked the bright sun. Naruto cried again, unable to form words. He just screamed his torment to the skies, unable to shut down what he was feeling, and unable to cope. Sakura held tightly onto him, but he didn't acknowledge her. Kakashi's grip tightened on his left bicep, near Gaara's head, but he didn't pay attention to that either. He felt his eyes burn, his body tremble, his clothing and hair whip around his body…and the bitingly cold wind rip at him.

His eyes burned with such intensity, he screwed them shut. It felt like someone was pressing hot coals onto them, and he groaned in agony. He felt his body change, responding to his emotional turmoil. He could feel his nails and canine's elongating, and he knew the rest of his appearance was changing to turn him into a more feral looking form.

"Naruto!" Kakashi yelled into his ear, but Naruto didn't respond. His eyes snapped open, and at the same time orange power erupted from him. Sakura and Kakashi were both thrown backwards and away from Naruto.

"**YOU WILL PAY!**" Naruto screamed to the skies, directing his rage at the Akatsuki. He didn't know where they were…but he was making it known to anyone who would hear. He would rip them, tear them, shred them all to pieces. He wouldn't rest until each and every single one of them paid for Gaara's death.

"**I WILL KILL YOU!**" Naruto screamed, and he was aware that it still wasn't just his own voice issuing from his throat. He and the Kyuubi were completely unified, determined to tear Akatsuki apart. The Demon Hunters, the Tailed Beast Hunters…the Akatsuki. They would pay, and each and every member would face the wrath of the mighty Kyuubi.

He felt power course through his veins and he didn't fight it. It burned his very core with a powerful fire. Fiery orange chakra bubbled over him, but not Gaara. He felt chakra and power leaking off him, as sobs wracked his body.

The wind had picked up in its intensity, and the trees shrieked in protest as they were blown more forcefully than they had been in many years. Sakura and Kakashi fought to stand, doing their best not to be blown to the ground by the wind. "Gaara…" Naruto cried, sobbing and cradling the body of his friend.

The chakra shell surrounded his body, it's single tail waving eerily against the wind that was clawing at them. Naruto's rage was consuming him. Another tail sprouted into existence, and Kakashi and Sakura's eyes widened as the power coming off of Naruto doubled. It actually pushed them backwards, away from Naruto. Naruto snarled, and then glared over his shoulder at his friends. Kakashi and Sakura were surprised to find that they were now joined by Team Guy, three Naruto's, Granny Chiyo, Shikamaru and a bound and paralyzed Akatsuki member who was being held by the Naruto's.

Chiyo was trembling in fear, while the others tried to support and hold on to each other. Team Guy had come to see what was the matter, and to be there for Naruto…but now it was clear that they couldn't. Another tail sprouted from Naruto's chakra shell, and they all grunted in the effort to remain standing as the energy and wind both seemed to push them further away from Naruto. The Chakra and energy pouring off Naruto was so strong that the ground underneath Naruto started to crack, and then it promptly shattered into a small crater-like depression from the force of the power.

"Naruto!" Neji gasped out, holding tightly onto Kakashi's left shoulder with his right hand and holding his left hand in front of him to guard against the wind and Chakra. Naruto glared at them, tears streaming down his face.

"Naruto-kun!" Lee cried out, seeing that Naruto didn't react to Neji's call. Naruto's eyes shifted to the youth who was holding on to Neji and Guy. Tenten was on Sakura's right, holding on to her, and Chiyo was on her right. The Naruto's were behind the group, sheltering and guarding Zetsu and Shikamaru was in front of them, directly behind Kakashi. Rock Lee trembled underneath Naruto's gaze. His eyes were blazing with anger, with hatred…with pain.

And then…chakra exploded from Naruto and caused everyone to throw up their hands. They all cried out, and they were shoved even further away, stumbling. They were a good fifteen to twenty yards away from Naruto now.

They all looked on with wide eyes at Naruto…as four Chakra tails waved in the air behind him. Naruto was still sobbing, and Sakura knew that she had to act now if she had any hope of keeping Naruto from losing himself to his rage. He let go of Kakashi and Tenten, and pushed forward, arms over her face to protect her from the power and wind. It was difficult to push against it, but Sakura took step after step slowly towards Naruto. Naruto's blazing red eyes locked on Sakura, and she was surprised that she could read the blazing orbs so well. The pain he was feeling was so intense…it was no wonder he was reacting like this.

She pushed forward, fighting to reach him. He needed her more than anything else. She knew he would feel bad. He had something Gaara never had. He had Sakura, he had someone that was precious even more than his other precious people. He would feel guilty, he would feel unworthy and undeserving…but she would still be his. She reached the halfway point, ignoring everyone's cries. They were shouting her name, trying to get her to come back. _'I won't let him go through this alone!'_ She thought fiercely, squinting her eyes to block against the biting wind and the bright orange chakra that was boiling over Naruto.

"Naruto!" She yelled, looking into his eyes. She was almost there…just a little more. He was watching her, sorrow written over his every feature. Sakura was fighting, using what little strength she had left after the day's exhausting traveling and battles, and slowly winning ground. She was just under five yards from Naruto now.

"Naruto!" She yelled again, and then…the wind was gone. But, the power radiating from Naruto wasn't. The whistling wind was gone, but the roaring power from Naruto wasn't. However, she still heard his raspy whisper.

"Sakura…" He whispered, his rasping voice breaking. Sakura reached out her right hand towards him as she advanced even closer, urging him to reach out his own and take her hand in his. He hesitated, obviously battling his emotions. She could see the guilt. Here was something he could have that Gaara didn't…and now could never hope to have. But the pain he was feeling was more than he could bear alone. He needed her so badly…and he knew it. He hesitantly removed his right arm from underneath Gaara's legs, letting the Kazekage's lower torso rest on his legs…and reached his right hand to Sakura, turning slightly. The boiling Chakra that covered Naruto's hands had the shape of claws, but Sakura didn't flinch as she reached towards him even more desperately now that he acknowledged his need for her.

She felt the last of her strength start to leave her, and lunged for Naruto's hand. The power radiating off of him battered her, but she didn't falter as she lunged for him. She knew that the Chakra could burn…she had been told about it from Tsunade, but now wasn't the time to worry about her personal safety. Naruto wouldn't intentionally hurt her anyways.

As her hand reached his…the boiling chakra seemed to quiver, and then it shrank back from Naruto's hand, retreating up to his elbow. Naruto's clawed hand grasped Sakura's, gently but firmly, and she looked gratefully up at him. He pulled her to him, and the boiling chakra retreated further away, not touching her. Then, the chakra seemed to hesitate as she leaned into Naruto's side. It shimmered slightly, and Sakura whispered into Naruto's ear, "I'm here. I'm here for you…Naruto."

She reached out her hand and slowly reached up to Naruto's face, as his tear-streaked face looked down at hers, and the chakra pulled away from his face to coat just the back of his head. She stroked his wet skin, wet from his tears, and whispered, "Naruto…it's okay. I'm here…" She said, and Naruto closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. He grit his teeth, and choked back a sob.

"Gaara wouldn't want you to lose control…you know how easy it is for you to lose control with this power…c'mon Naruto. Calm down, just breathe. I'm here." She continued to say softly. She had to calm him down…and she knew she was the only one who could.

Naruto's blazing red eyes darted down to Gaara's corpse, and he just barely nodded. He closed his eyes, shaking, and groaned as he exerted his will over the immense power burning through him. He fought it, but it was like fighting against a fierce river. He tried to push it back…but only succeeded in pushing himself further away from what little control he had. He growled, and fought harder. Sakura's soft touch on his face, the breath on his skin, her voice in his ear as she comforted him…he drew strength from these things and used them against the addictive power flowing through him.

Sakura gently stroked his face, doing what she could to comfort him and being careful not to touch the Chakra coating the rest of his body. She could feel his muscles tensing, his body straining, his body shaking due to the effort he was exerting. "It's so hard, Sakura…it's so strong. It's like fighting a river." He moaned out, and Sakura made soft soothing noises as if she were comforting a young child.

"I'm here. I'll help." She whispered, as an idea struck her. She reached out her right hand, keeping her left hand on his face, to his chest. The reddish orange chakra bubbled back away from her hand, a small circle so that she wouldn't be harmed. She wondered…was it the Kyuubi doing this, or was it Naruto consciously or unconsciously controlling it? But, she cast the thought aside and focused chakra into her hand. If the power was like a river…all she had to do was try to interrupt the flow.

Naruto felt her hand on his chest, right over his heart, and then felt her chakra seep from her hand into his body. Her chakra was cool, compared to the roaring fire of the Kyuubi Chakra, and he used it to help fight against the tide. He pulled at the chakra, and at the same time added his own to it to interrupt the flow through his system. He felt the tide of the chakra weaken, and he fought it. He shook, sweat dripping down his face, and pushed. He fled to his mindscape, knowing he could make more progress there.

He was instantly overwhelmed in the tunnels of his mind. The small layer of water that usually covered the floors was gone, and replaced with a fierce glowing red water that came up to his chest. It almost swept him away, until he drew on the Chakra Sakura was feeding into his system. He pulled at it, forming a barrier in front of him to help shield him from the massive force of the red water. He pushed, determined to reach the Kyuubi's cage, and used all his strength he could muster.

It might have been minutes, or hours, but he reached the Kyuubi's cage. The vast room where the Kyuubi was held was flooded as well. From between the bars that held the Fox, the red water gushed out, and Naruto yelled out, "FOX!"

Instantly, two glowing eyes opened on the other side. They were blazing brighter than usual, and Naruto could see his mouth open, his lips drawn back in a snarl. The Fox looked down at his container from inside his cage, and took note of the pulsing blue chakra that was being used to help shield him…to help try to interrupt the flow of the red water.

"FOX!" Naruto yelled again, and the Fox's voice boomed out, "**What?**"

"Don't pull that with me! You know full well! Pull your power back, now!" Naruto yelled as loudly as he could, trying to be heard over the rushing water. He knew that Sakura couldn't keep up the chakra flow much longer…the cool blue chakra was already losing power.

"**Didn't you wish for my chakra as 'rent' for living in your body? Well here it is!**" The Fox smirked. He was angry, and he was unleashing his anger in the only way he could. Of course it was overflowing from his cage and out to Naruto's system and body…but either way it was what the boy wanted.

"Help me pull it back! I don't need it right now!" Naruto yelled, pushing against the red tide. The fox snarled.

"**Very well. But only because you risk harm to your mate…otherwise, I wouldn't. You should learn to control your emotions better, brat!**" He snarled. It wasn't really the boy's fault, but the Kyuubi was angry and he took the anger out on Naruto. He didn't like the girl all that much…seeing as she had assisted Naruto in fighting him back when Naruto was near death…but he knew that to injure the girl would inflict a wound unto himself. Unfortunately, he felt Naruto's emotions…and he knew that to injure Sakura would cause unbelievable turmoil inside of Naruto…and the Fox did not want to feel that. He growled, and closed his eyes. The tide lessened, slowly dying down and draining away. The large room went back to its normal state, with a couple inches of water coating the floor, but the water was no longer red. The Kyuubi snarled at Naruto, "**Now get out!**"

Naruto did just that, pulling out of his mind, and he opened his eyes back to the real world. The first thing he noticed was that the sun was out once more, and the sky was cloudless and blue. His insides no longer burned, and neither did his eyes. All he could feel was Gaara's body pressed to his chest, and Sakura's soft touch on his heart and on his face. He sighed, and then sniffled, trying to keep snot from running out of his nose. He calmed himself down, as Sakura made soft soothing noises in his ear.

Finally, Kakashi and the rest of the Shinobi were able to draw close, and they stood behind Naruto. Chiyo murmured a question to Kakashi. "So, the boy really does care about Gaara?"

Kakashi turned a slightly disbelieving eye upon the old lady, but nodded. "Yes, if it wasn't obvious by his Biju's power leaking out due to his emotional distress." Kakashi said, and Chiyo looked away. To know that Gaara's death, this young Jinchuriki's pain, was all because of her…was depressing. Ultimately, the Kazekage's death was her own fault…

"I was the one who sealed Shukaku inside of Gaara." Chiyo said softly, and everyone's heads whipped around to look at her. She met all their stares head on, even the disbelieving blond Jinchuriki's stare. "If it is anyone's fault that he is now dead, boy, it would be mine. I was the one who was ordered to seal Gaara with Shukaku while he was inside his mother's womb."

"W-why? Why did you do it?" Naruto whispered, his eyes filled with pleading. Why would anyone do this to another person, especially a baby?

Chiyo sighed, and ran a hand through her grey hair. "Because…we were disillusioned. We wanted Suna to be a powerful country. We wanted a secret weapon, and someone suggested we seal the sand spirit into a human body so we could harness its power. The only way to do that without killing the person: would be to do it to a baby. That way, the demon's immense power wouldn't rip apart a normal person's chakra coils. A baby's is still undeveloped, so we did it while Gaara was in his mother's stomach. It ended up killing her, but his father the Kazekage…didn't care. All he wanted was for Suna to be strong once more. I was with him. I wanted our nation to be stronger than Konoha, so Konoha would pay for all the lives that it cost us. My son's life…my daughter-in-law's life…I wanted to avenge them. And Gaara bore our wishes and hopes…" Chiyo replied, and Naruto stared at her with shock. He looked down at Gaara, and whispered, "So you were made into a monster by your father…just as I was?"

"Naruto! Your father wanted to make you a hero, not a monster!" Sakura whispered fiercely, holding tight to him. He nodded, only half-paying attention. He looked back at Chiyo, and he spat out, "Well are you happy? Now because you fools sealed Shukaku inside Gaara, not only was his life hell…Akatsuki targeted and killed him!"

Chiyo looked away. The anger in those eyes, the pain, she knew she caused them. "No…I am not happy. I heard the boy had become Kazekage, and I knew that Akatsuki was on the move once more. I didn't care about it, though…because I was too concerned about Sasori. All I wanted was to find out about him, not guard the boy who fought against all the rules to become Kazekage. I was selfish…and I see I was wrong."

Naruto snarled, "It's too late now. Now, he's gone forever!"

Chiyo looked at the blond, and shook her head. She would do it…if just to repay her debt to the Kazekage. To atone for her mistakes, and to ease this boy's pain. This boy, something about him made her want to do anything to keep him from hurting. So this is the special power that Kakashi said the boy had…

"No, it's not too late. Please, set him down…" Chiyo said. She had planned one day to use the technique on her daughter-puppet…but perhaps this was for the best.

Naruto did as she said, and looked at her with confusion and hope. "What are you doing?"

Sakura and Naruto stood next to Gaara's corpse, Sakura still holding on to Naruto's arm. He looked at Chiyo as she strode over and then knelt beside Gaara. "I do this, to atone for my mistakes now…and I hope that both of you will forgive me." She said sadly, and reached her hands out over Gaara's body. She placed her right hand down on Gaara's stomach, and the other on his forehead. She closed her eyes, and Naruto asked again. "What are you doing?"

"I'm attempting a technique, a resurrection Jutsu. However, it removes my life force, and implants it into another. It is a sacrifice technique…" She murmured, and suddenly her hands started to glow a pale green. Naruto watched, speechless, as around Gaara and Chiyo, a column of air suddenly rose. It wasn't entirely visible except for the dust that spiraled upwards with it.

"Chiyo-baa-sama…" Naruto murmured, and fought for words. The old lady didn't look at him, but held her eyes shut tightly as she concentrated on moving her life into Gaara. "Thank you." He managed to get out, and Sakura held Naruto tightly. Everyone watched, silently, as Chiyo struggled with her technique. She started to shake, and breathe heavier. Then, the glowing pale green chakra moved from her hands, and started to surge over Gaara's body.

Then, a surge of Chakra came from behind Team Guy. Naruto immediately recognized the Chakra, after facing it twice in one day. "EVERYONE MOVE!" He yelled, and wrapped both arms around Sakura and jumped off to the side. Suddenly, where he had been standing, a thick and spiked plant tendril smashed through the surface, and whipped around wildly, looking for its target. Naruto glanced around, and quickly gained memories as his Shadow Clones detonated. Zetsu had suddenly gained consciousness, and dispatched them faster than they could react to. He was fast.

Naruto saw that Team Guy and Kakashi and Shikamaru were all safe, but dodging dozens of plant-like tendrils. He skidded to a stop, and searched for Zetsu. He saw him, too late, next to Chiyo. "NO!" He screamed, and let go of Sakura and rushed forward. He flung several shuriken, but Zetsu was already in action. He grabbed one shuriken as he ducked under the rest, and then grabbed Chiyo by the forehead and yanked her head back so her throat was exposed.

"This is payback, Jinchuriki!" Hissed Zetsu's white side, which was stained red and mostly unrecognizable. "**We'll be coming for you soon.**" Hissed his black side, and Naruto lunged forward to try to reach Zetsu. He was too late, as Zetsu slashed Naruto's sharpened shuriken edge against Chiyo's exposed throat.

"NO!" Naruto cried, and with a spray of blood, Chiyo's life ended. Zetsu quickly made a hand seal, and lashed his hands at Naruto. Eight spiked plant pillars, each as thick as a man, erupted in front of Naruto and blocked him. Then, they each tried to swing around to hit him. Naruto cursed as he lost sight of Zetsu and was forced to dodge the wildly thrashing pillars. However, he wasn't fast enough, and one slammed into his shoulder, burying its spike deep. He cried out, and was flung backwards, the spike breaking off into his shoulder.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried, and ran forward. She caught him in the air, skidding backwards a few feet due to Naruto's momentum. She instantly set him down, seeing the massive red-stained spike protruding from his left shoulder. She bit her lip and looked around wildly, seeing that Team Guy, Kakashi, and Shikamaru had dealt with the plants that had attacked them. Kakashi blew a fireball, incinerating the eight pillars that had attacked Naruto, and then Kakashi sprang over to Sakura and Naruto. Team Guy followed, but Tenten and Shikamaru went over to Chiyo's body.

Kakashi knelt by Naruto's side, and murmured, "I'll hold him down, you pull it out." Sakura nodded, wide-eyed, and Naruto hissed as she touched it slightly. It was deep, almost protruding through his back.

"Do it!" Naruto hissed. Sakura nodded, and gritted her teeth. She grabbed the base of the thorn, and yanked the massive spike from Naruto's shoulder. He cried out, and blood started to spread from his shoulder. His eyes rolled back into his head for a second, but he seemed to fight away unconsciousness.

"Move back." He gritted out, as tears escaped his eyes. Sakura and Kakashi did, and Naruto staggered to his feet. "Damn Plant-guy." Naruto hissed, as he raised his right hand to hold over his wound. He tried to staunch the bleeding, as his left arm hung limp at his side, but blood coated his hand. The hole was at least half as big as his hand.

He closed his eyes, and thought wildly, _'C'mon, Fox. I need some Chakra. Hurry…I'm bleeding badly.'_

'_**Ah…so now you want my chakra?'**_ The Fox snarled, still angry.

'_Shut up! If I die, you die!'_ Naruto snapped back.

'_**Fine. Don't say I never did anything for you, brat.'**_ The Fox hissed, and Naruto felt the blazing Chakra surge through his body. He felt heat around his right hand, and quickly yanked his hand back as flesh rapidly reformed. He gritted his teeth, as his nerves and arteries and blood vessels were all re-grown and repaired. The Chakra stopped once the gaping hole in his shoulder was gone, and Naruto sighed. He looked over at Team Guy and Kakashi and then over towards Tenten and Shikamaru.

"Dammit…Chiyo…" Naruto murmured, and knelt and wiped the blood off his right hand onto the grass. He then jogged over, followed by everyone else, to Tenten and Shikamaru. He knelt next to them, beside Chiyo's fallen form. He shook his head as he saw the wound, and whispered, "Damn…I should have been faster…" If he had initiated his Thunder Flicker Jutsu…he could have been faster. He could have made it…he could have saved Chiyo.

Shikamaru and Tenten looked up at him, troubled, and Shikamaru sighed. "The plant Akatsuki's gone. I'm assuming he retreated for now."

Naruto nodded, and reached over Chiyo's face with his right hand. He passed his hand over her eyes, closing the lids, and gritted his teeth. Maybe…just maybe this hadn't been for nothing. He turned to Gaara's corpse, and paused. Was it his imagination…or was Gaara's chest moving up and down slightly? Naruto couldn't be sure…not with Gaara's Sand Armor on. He probably wouldn't even be able to feel a heartbeat.

Naruto leaned over Gaara…and placed his face close to Gaara's. He positioned the side of his face over Gaara's nose, and listened for breath. He waited for what seemed like an eternity…but heard a very faint intake of breath. It was tiny, almost unheard…but then Naruto felt a tiny burst of warm breath on his cheek. Tears sprang to his eyes, and straightened. He looked up at everyone who had gathered around, and choked out, "He's breathing!"

Sakura knelt next to Naruto, and went through a few hand seals. "I can't do much…all I can see is what kind of condition he's in. I don't have enough Chakra for anything else." Sakura said, and placed her left hand on Gaara's forehead and her right hand on Gaara's stomach. Her hands glowed green, and she closed her eyes in concentration.

Naruto waited as patiently as he could, but fidgeted with the hem of his robe. He glanced around, looking at his friends. Kakashi gave him an encouraging nod with a faint smile, Shikamaru gave him a weary nod, Tenten was too focused on Sakura's work, Neji gave him a faint smile, and Lee looked on the verge of tears. Finally, Sakura took her hands away. She took in a deep breath, afraid to tell Naruto.

"Naruto…" She said softly, and he instantly brought his vision to bear on her. She looked away for a moment…and then looked back up. "He's healthy. He took some damage, but nothing serious. He's breathing, all of his organs are functioning properly…" She trailed off, and Naruto understood the unspoken 'but'.

He voiced it immediately. "But?" He asked, his voice tight and thick with emotion.

"But…his brain activity levels…as far as I can tell, aren't matching what a normal person would be. It's…very similar to comatose patients I've had to examine…" She murmured, and Naruto stared at her with wide eyes.

"What?" He asked, and Sakura gave him an apologetic look.

"He…" She seemed to struggle with the words. "He seems to be in a coma. His brain activity levels are exact matches to those who are comatose. I think that since Chiyo's technique was interrupted, all of her life-force wasn't transferred…only enough to make him live. Apparently it wasn't enough to make him consciously aware or 'alive' in the everyday sense." Sakura said, and Naruto turned to the breathing red-head.

"So…Gaara won't ever wake up?" He asked, and Sakura shrugged apologetically.

"I don't know, Naruto…he might wake up and he might not. It could be tomorrow, next month, in ten or twenty years…or not at all." Sakura said sadly. Naruto leaned over Gaara's body, embraced the redhead…and wept.

Sorry guys…I couldn't think of any other way to end it. I couldn't bring myself to really kill Gaara off…I love him too much! So, I managed to keep him 'dead' but 'alive' at the same time. / Forgive me, please, lol. I couldn't help it!

Lemme know what you guys think in a review!

FR1


	12. Chapter 12

Lost in the Green Seas

Lost in the Green Seas

Chapter 12

Previously on Lost in the Green Seas:

"_He…" She seemed to struggle with the words. "He seems to be in a coma. His brain activity levels are exact matches to those who are comatose. I think that since Chiyo's technique was interrupted, all of her life force wasn't transferred…only enough to make him live. Apparently it wasn't enough to make him consciously aware or 'alive' in the everyday sense." Sakura said, and Naruto turned to the breathing redhead._

"_So…Gaara won't ever wake up?" He asked, and Sakura shrugged apologetically._

"_I don't know, Naruto…he might wake up and he might not. It could be tomorrow, next month, in ten or twenty years…or not at all." Sakura said sadly. Naruto leaned over Gaara's body, embraced the redhead…and wept._

The CONTINUATION:

Suna was outwardly calm. The hot, dry sun was beating down on tan buildings and a faint wind blowing the sand through the near-empty streets. But…Sunagakure was nowhere near calm beneath its outward appearance. Team Seven, along with Team Guy, had returned two days ago…bearing two bodies. One, their beloved Kazekage who now lay in the finest hospital room comatose, and the other the Sand Village's Senior Advisor and Master Puppeteer Chiyo. The Hidden village had been appointed another Kage without delay…due to the Council's belief that Gaara would never come back alive. Not all, it seemed, had lost their fear and dislike for the redhead.

The Konoha teams had sent word of the success, and failure at the same time, back to Konohagakure via messenger bird. They had been invited by the new Kazekage, a battle-hardened Sand Shinobi who had been second only to Gaara, to stay a few days and recuperate. They graciously accepted, and all stayed in a nice hotel for the next day and a half.

All of the Konoha ninja rested, save Naruto. He had disappeared after the first day and no one could find him…not even Sakura. When Sakura had insisted on all of them combing Suna to find him, Kakashi had gently but firmly told her no. Naruto needed space, time, to heal the emotional wounds that he had. Sakura had stubbornly set out through Suna and searched all day…not trusting Naruto to be alone. And, if she really thought about it…she didn't want to be alone either.

'_Is it selfish of me to want to be with him so much, even when he's going through this?'_ She asked herself. Sweat coated her skin, and she was tired. She had been searching for Naruto non-stop from noon until the current time of 6:30. The sun was starting to lower, much to Sakura's dismay. Maybe Naruto would come back tonight…

She wound up back at the hotel, disheartened. She went up to the top floor, all of the Konoha ninja's rooms had been moved to the suite's upstairs, and was surprised to find Kakashi, Lee and Neji all standing in front of the elevator. They appeared to be waiting for her, and they sensed her question.

"I saw you." Neji said softly, and Sakura nodded. Kakashi spoke next. "Sakura…if he isn't back by eleven-" "Ten." Sakura interrupted, and he amended, "If he isn't back by ten, we'll all look for him."

Sakura nodded, satisfied. "Good. I'm going to take a shower and then get some dinner. Let me know as soon as he comes back…if he does." She said, and the boys nodded. They went back to their rooms. Kakashi and Guy shared a room, as did Neji and Lee, Shikamaru and Naruto, and then Sakura and Tenten.

When Sakura opened the door, she saw Tenten sitting at the kitchen table. She was surprisingly patient, Sakura had noted, and simply sat there drinking tea. Tenten nodded to Sakura, who nodded back. "No signs?" Tenten asked softly.

Sakura paused as she passed Tenten, and sighed. "None at all. It's as if he just vanished into thin air. I went to the hospital and asked them if he showed up to call us. But…" She bit her bottom lip. "I'm worried." She whispered.

Tenten looked up at the girl next to her, and gave her a compassionate smile. "He'll turn up." Tenten said, and Sakura nodded. Then, she went to their large bathroom and took a shower. As soon as she had the fan on, the shower running, she shucked her clothes off gratefully and stepped under the cleansing hot water.

She enjoyed her time in the shower. It helped unknot all the tension that had seeped into her body, and it helped her to be able to not panic as the time passed. She finished washing, and stepped from the shower. As soon as the warm layer of water left her, she was vulnerable again. Her feelings were rampant…uncontrollable. She so desperately wanted to run out and look for Naruto again. She couldn't stop thinking about what he had done to her on that cliff…what she had felt him feeling, what she had felt herself. She hated being away from him, it made her feel so…incomplete. She wished with all her mind and body that he could be there…

As she toweled herself off, she felt that strange ache again…the _need_ for Naruto. It wasn't a want, something she could live without. It was definitely a _need_. She could feel herself shake as the feeling hit her, intense and completely unexpected. She bit back a moan, and held onto the bathroom sink for support. She was shaking…and then suddenly she _knew_. She hastily secured her towel around her chest, and yanked open the bathroom door.

Leaning casually against the doorframe, but not able to keep the grin from his face, was Naruto. She gasped, and took a step back, and Tenten heard her gasp. Tenten walked over asking, "What's wrong…" She stopped when she saw Naruto. He, apparently, had appeared without even _her_ realizing it. He was wearing his orange pants, and a black tee-shirt…and he looked exhausted. But, there was also something about him that indicated he was so excited he wasn't feeling his exhaustion.

"Oi…Sakura." He murmured, his voice slightly husky. His blue eyes drew her in, and she had to fight to move her mouth and make a sound. "N-Naruto." She whispered…and then she was in his arms. He held her tight, inhaling her scent deeply. "You wanted me, Sakura?" He murmured into her ear. She trembled against him as he spoke,

"H-how?" She stammered, fully aware that the only thing separating them from her body was the thin towel. She was also aware of Tenten listening and watching with wide eyes and an open mouth…but she couldn't bring herself to tell Naruto to let her get decent. She could smell him, something so wild and untamed it was intoxicating; she could feel him pressed tight against her, his muscles hard and yet comfortable; and she could feel _his_ feelings _inside_ of her, his smug satisfaction at her reaction and his happiness to be in her arms. She wasn't sure what was happening to her, not since it had started a few days ago.

Naruto whispered, "Does it really matter how…as long as it _is_?" He asked, and the purr in his voice sent fire coursing through her veins. How could he do this to her? She was one of the most level-headed Kunoichi in Konoha, two or three times stronger than the normal Shinobi her age…but here she was trembling and weak in someone's arms.

"Damn it, Naruto." She managed to gasp out, and Tenten blushed a deep crimson. She choked out, "I-I'm going to tell the others he's back." She said, and darted out of the room. Sakura moaned, "Do you know what you're doing to me?" She asked him, and he finally let go of her. She almost collapsed, her legs too weak to support her, but he caught her and swept her up in his arms. She cried out in surprise, and was glad her towel stayed secure around her chest.

"Yes. I know." He said matter-of-factly. She blushed, and he whispered, "Just like if you wanted, you could feel what you're doing to _me_." She gaped at him, and he grinned. He seemed to make a decision as he turned away from the bathroom. Go left, towards the kitchen and front door and the staircase upstairs that was just to the right of the door…or go right towards the couches? She could almost see the difficult decision flitting through his mind, and she squeezed her eyes shut. She hoped he wouldn't _really_ know what she wanted as she thought, _'Oh please, upstairs.'_

He made up his mind right then, and walked to the left, and he carried her up the small, metal, spiral staircase. She was breathless, blushing…sure she had actually said her thought aloud. He chuckled as they reached the upstairs bedroom, and whispered, "I can let you get changed in private if you want…" He offered, and she really didn't want to have him leave. But then again, she really _did_ want out of this towel. She blushed at her thoughts, and murmured, "No."

The upstairs was a nice place, set in warm calming colors of light blue for the walls and crème for the carpet. The beds were to the far right, two king sized beds against the wall with a few feet between them, and Naruto headed in that direction. She trembled as she anxiously wrapped her arms around his neck a bit tighter than necessary. But, he didn't mention it.

They made it to the bed, and he laid her gently down on one of them. The bed-side lamps were already on, probably left on by Tenten, and it bathed him in a sensual light. She held onto her towel as he gently laid her down, keeping her body tightly drawn together so the towel wouldn't fall open and reveal her. She saw his eyes almost imperceptibly flick over her body and all the skin showing. She blushed, and he smiled gently.

He leaned over her, still not on the bed like she wished he was, and kissed her gently. "I'm sorry I ran off…" He whispered after their soft kiss ended. Her eyes hardened. Did he have to bring that up right now?

"I…I was trying to figure out what's happening." He admitted, and she relaxed. "I wasn't exactly sure what was happening, and I had a feeling the Fox had a hand in it. So, I left and talked to him in private…and I know now." He summed up quickly.

She nodded, and then she asked, "So how do I do it? You know…feel what you feel?" She wanted to know how it was done consciously…she wanted to see if he was feeling like she was now. She felt absolutely ashamed of how she was feeling, which was not at all how a good girl like her should be feeling.

He smiled, probably aware of why she was asking. "It's simple. Use your heart, reach out with it." He instructed, and she gave him a perplexed look. "Okay, think of it like you're trying to feel me like you have…think only of me and _want_ me." He said, and she said in her mind, _'Oh, there's no doubt I want you right now.'_ She couldn't believe she even thought it. Her inner personality seemed to have emerged a bit.

'_**Cha! That's not me! That's you! You're thinking tamer things than I am!'**_ Her inner personality yelled, earning Sakura a blush. If she was thinking tame things…what kinds of things were…? No. She was not going there.

She took a cautious breath, and he placed his arms on either side of her head, staring down at her with a question in his eyes. "Well?" He asked, and she laughed nervously. "Hold on."

He smiled, and she closed her eyes and did as he had said. She thought of him, only him, and wanted him. She felt her heart reach out, there was simply no other way to describe it other than it reaching…seeking his out. She found his heart, and they beat in synchrony. She felt such a surge of emotions her eyes snapped open and she breathed, "Oh." They were _definitely_ feeling the same way.

He smiled. "That's an understatement." He murmured, and then finally got completely on the bed. He made sure not to jostle her as he crawled over her and next to her, and she held tightly onto her towel. She reached out again, eagerly seeking his feelings. He was so excited, so happy to be here with her. She had never thought that he would actually feel that way to be around her…but here he was feeling it. And, he was definitely feeling a bit of sadness, maybe only in the further recesses of his mind. But…she blushed as she took time to examine one feeling that seemed to dominate everything else more than it had just a moment ago. It was…

Her eyes widened and she looked away, self-consciously tightening the towel around her body and pressing her arms against her body. He sighed. "Yeah. About that…" He murmured, and she realized they were both in tune to each other at the moment. He felt regret immediately for what he had felt, and for making her feel embarrassed and uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry. I am a guy…and you _are_ a girl on a bed in nothing but a towel." He pointed out. She blushed, nodding and still not looking at him. She didn't want to admit that a small part of her found it extremely flattering. She had never been much of a looker…and she hadn't ever thought she would _feel_ a male feel that way about her. And that was what made her defensive. It surprised her, to be able to feel someone feel that way.

"It…It's fine. I just was surprised." She said softly. He sat up. "Just because I feel that way, doesn't mean I'm going to act on it." He said, and got off the bed, clearly disappointed in her reaction. She didn't know why she was acting like this herself…not when she had been thinking that way in the first place. "For every feeling, you have a choice to act on it or not. It's not like I'm someone or some_thing_ that will rape you." He muttered, and she realized he was offended. His back was to her, standing with his arms across his chest. He was offended at the thought she didn't think he could control his urges.

She felt immediately sorry for her reaction. He was just trying to make her feel happy…and enjoy her company. It was her own fault for his reaction to her…apparel or lack thereof. She sat up, and murmured, "Naruto…I'm sorry. It caught me off guard, how intense it was."

He looked back at her, and nodded curtly. "I know, Sakura. It surprises me too, sometimes." He said, and then sighed. "I only came, you know…because you called. I could have stayed away, I really could have. But you were practically…" He shivered.

She blushed. "What do you mean I called? And I was practically what?" She asked, and he didn't look at her.

"You called with your heart, your soul if you will. And…you were practically moaning." He said, and she saw the red tint on his ears indicating he was blushing heavily. She carefully drew herself into a position that kept her body well covered, and whispered, "Oh." She was now extremely embarrassed.

"So…why is this happening?" She asked. She had to know…as much as she felt she already did. She hoped it was the same reason she suspected.

"When a demon finds a prospective mate, he marks her in several ways. First, with his Chakra, his spiritual presence, so that their spirits are more in tune. Then, he marks her mind, essentially dominating her thoughts…basically making his mate obsess about him. Though, _they_ do it with their powers…but anyway. The last way is the permanent way. The other ways can be withdrawn if the mate dislikes it or finds the male unbearable…especially since most male demons were extremely egotistical." Naruto laughed, and Sakura smiled. He turned to her and sat on the foot of the bed, keeping his eyes on her face, not her body.

"The last way, is a bite, usually on the neck. It brands, marks, the female for the rest of her life as the mate of that demon. That mark does many things, marking her off-limits. It leaves a psychological impression on others that she's taken, it changes her appearance or power slightly to match that of her mate…and it makes them bonded for life." He said, and she listened with wide eyes. He still had to explain why their link was happening.

He seemed to realize it, and gave her an embarrassed smile. "Um…obviously I'm not a demon. But since I am a Jinchuriki who has synched with his demon in many ways…the rules apply to me. I've always felt strongly for you, but it didn't start the cycle until after puberty. I marked you, unintentionally, with my Chakra." He said, and she started at that.

"How?" She demanded, and he murmured, "You marked yourself in my Chakra, technically. When I was dying, you became enveloped, marked, by the Chakra flowing off me. It was the Kyuubi's…but also tinted with my Chakra. So, unwittingly and unwillingly…you started the cycle. The next thing to happen was me dominating your thoughts. I wouldn't do it like the demons could. I would never dominate your mind forcefully." He said, and she felt a start as he said 'would'. 'Would' is completely different than 'could'.

"So…I focused on doing the regular things, kissing and touching. It worked, didn't it?" He asked quietly, and she blushed and nodded. He gave a short laugh. "So, in short, that's everything. You started the cycle on accident, and we became linked because I looked at you as a possible 'mate'. If it had been anyone but you in my Chakra as I was dying that first day I came back…they would have been burned and rejected. But…seeing as it was you, everything began." He explained. She was absolutely floored, to say the least.

But, she kept her calm and thought about this as level-headed as she could. He had marked her. He _could_ undo it, of course. But…maybe she didn't want that. She loved Naruto to the extreme…and was serious when she said to him that one day on the cliff, that she wanted to be his forever. She would go through anything…even this marking. Or rather, should she say, especially this marking deal?

"So…it's permanent." She whispered, and thought hard. She conjured up scenarios, thinking of things that might make her want to be separated from Naruto. The everyday squabbles they could have, the big things like Sasuke or the Akatsuki…but nothing would make her want to leave Naruto.

"Sakura…can we just lay together? I missed you." He murmured, and she looked up at him. She relaxed, letting her arms uncoil from around her body. She nodded and said, "Yes…I'd like that."

He crawled back next to her, and took her in his arms and lowered them down so they faced each other on their sides. He smiled sadly. "It hurts to be away from you." Her eyes widened at his confession for a moment, and then she gave him a warm smiled.

"So stay with me." She whispered. He smiled. He hesitantly reached out with his free left hand and stroked her damp hair. "I will…but could you please go put something on? I don't want to have to fight to keep my eyes on your face." He laughed, causing her face to burn in embarrassment. She nodded, and hastily got off the bed. She kept the towel tight against her as she stood, and then walked downstairs and to her backpack she had left near the kitchen counter. She crouched in front of it, unzipping it with one hand while keeping the towel around her with the other.

The room door opened, and Tenten walked in hesitantly. She saw Sakura and blushed. "Sakura? Is he gone again?" She asked, and Sakura blushed and grabbed a set of pajamas.

"No. He's upstairs." She said, trying not to look away from Tenten in embarrassment. Tenten's mouth opened in a surprised 'O' and she nodded dumbly. "I'll go see if I can bed down with someone else." She said, and Sakura attempted to protest.

"NO. Trust me Sakura…it's best that I not stay. I might as well try to spend some quality time with Neji anyway…and see if Shikamaru will share his room with Lee for tonight." Tenten said quickly, and Sakura understood, smiling.

"Well…bye then." Tenten said hastily and exited the room. Sakura blushed, knowing exactly what Tenten was thinking would happen. She hastily went to the bathroom and changed into her undergarments and pajamas. She put on a matching set of soft green cotton undergarments, and then pink shorts that stopped no more than a few inches down her thigh. She put on a pink button up short sleeve shirt, and then decided that this would be fine. She hastily left the bathroom and put her towel and dirty clothes in her backpack, and then hurried upstairs.

He was laying on the bed in only his pants. His headband was on the bed stand next to him, his shoes and shirt were on the floor in a neat pile. He was sprawled out on the bed, and she gaped at his muscled chest. Her eyes raked over his sculpted chest, his pectorals, abs, strong shoulders, his biceps…and she realized she had held her breath. She let out her breath, trying not to laugh at her silliness. She got closer to the bed, her bare feet padding softly on the carpet. He smiled at her softly, his head resting on his hands behind his head. She smiled back, and then she saw the scar.

One large discolored patch of skin over his right shoulder, never fully healed even by the Kyuubi. She fought back the shiver that ran down her spine. She would never get over that scar. Never, ever. It was her fault he got it…it was her fault because she had made him chase Sasuke down. Naruto immediately sat up, a frown on his face now. "What's wrong?" He asked, and she sighed and looked pointedly at his shoulder.

"Oh, that. Yeah…I'm lucky that-Aaaggghhh!" He cried suddenly, gripping his right shoulder tightly with his left hand and his face screwed up in agony. Sakura cried out, "Naruto!" and sprang onto the bed, placing her hands on his face. "Look at me!" She cried, and suddenly he was laughing.

He flipped her over, and she instinctively threw her legs around him to stay with him, so he was on top, both of his hands placed on the bed on either side of her face. Her eyes were wide, uncomprehending, but she vaguely realized how they were positioned. "What?" She asked, and Naruto laughed.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan." She didn't flinch when he said it, because it was playful. He had played with her! He hadn't been in pain! She glared at him.

"You ass!" She hissed, and he laughed wholeheartedly. She glared at him, and she tried to get out from underneath him, unwrapping her legs from around his waist. But, he pressed himself down so she was underneath him, only an inch separating their faces. But…their bodies were pressed tightly together, and she blushed.

"Sakura…I'm trying to make a point. It's nothing but an old wound. Nothing but a scar. It's pointless to dwell on it." He said softly. She looked up at him, still blushing. "Regardless of the fact that it _wasn't_ your fault," He was interrupted as she opened her mouth to protest that it was. He glared as she was about to speak, and kissed her open-mouthed. Her eyes widened and she moaned as she felt him kiss her and suckle on her lips.

He stopped. "If you do that every time I interrupt you…I'll do it every chance I get." She gasped breathlessly. He grinned.

"Well, let me finish before we get back to it…and I promise I'll make it even better." She raised her eyebrows. "Better? I don't think that's possible." She said, and he only smirked. She breathlessly waited for him to continue so he could finish. He grinned a wide grin, but then it faded.

"It's not your fault. It's Sasuke's, though not entirely. I choose to blame Itachi. He started the whole damn cycle, and then Orochimaru took it from there. Sasuke is only doing what he thinks is best for his goal…and even though it hurts us…it's his decision." Naruto said, and grabbed one of her hands and moved it to his shoulder.

"This is an old scar, Sakura. It's an old wound. It doesn't hurt, and you can't blame yourself for Sasuke's actions. Sure, I wouldn't have gotten hurt if I hadn't gone…but it wasn't even your fault I went. Sure, I promised I'd bring Sasuke back…but that was the mission's goal anyway. Regardless of my promise, it would have ended up the same way." Naruto said, and she looked away. He was right. It had been the mission goal, and it would have turned out the same way, regardless of the promise he had made to her. But…it didn't help the fact that she felt responsible somehow.

"I…I know…" She said softly, and then looked at the pale patch of skin underneath her hand. "I just feel so responsible for you getting hurt." She whispered, and his gaze was soft as he looked into her eyes.

"You blame yourself for it…but I don't. Isn't that enough?" He asked, and she considered it. If he, the one who had been pierced by the Chidori, didn't blame her…why should she? She sighed. It made sense.

"I'll try not to blame myself." She conceded. He smiled down at her. "Good." He said simply, and she waited for him to kiss her again. He was so good at it…yet she knew for a fact that he hadn't had any practice before. She waited, and he realized she what she was waiting for.

"Oh. Sorry." He laughed, and then kissed her fiercely. The sudden contact made her blood boil, and she threw her arms around his neck. Somehow, she didn't know how…he was _definitely_ doing better. His tongue caressed the outside of her lips, and then dove into her mouth. She was having trouble responding to his kisses because she was focusing on just trying to remember how to breathe, he was so amazing. He stirred something in her that was…frightening and exhilarating at the same time. She could feel their bodies acting without conscious thought, pressing hard against the other.

She pushed him away for a moment, earning a hurt look that she quickly tried to ease. "I'm sorry…I just…need to catch my breath." She whispered, and she felt lightheaded. He caressed her face for a moment, gazing at her with such a look of love…that she felt she was in danger of melting. How did he do that?

Naruto grinned down at her with a wily grin, and she eventually mastered her breathing. But as soon as she had, he started to kiss her again. She lost herself right then, unable to think and just giving in to instinct. She fisted her hands in his hair, keeping him close to her as their lips met.

He seemed to moan, or more like purr, for a second. She almost giggled, but lost that urge when his tongue suddenly traced the shape of her lips again. She eagerly complied and opened her mouth to his seeking tongue. His tongue traced the insides of her lips, and then her tongue met his. Their tongues fought a passionate war, tangling and caressing, and after what seemed like an eternity…they broke apart. She opened her eyes, having closed them unconsciously as soon as he kissed her again. He pulled back slightly, panting, and she saw that his pupils were dilated, wide and black and hungry. They seemed slightly glazed over, and she knew he was fighting with his urges.

She herself was fighting the urge with modesty and lust, but at the moment her lust was winning. She brought his head back down to hers, and their foreheads rested together. Naruto murmured her name softly, and she felt the vibrations run through her chest. "Sakura…"

"Naruto…" She whispered back. She reached out for his feelings, and felt the same turmoil that was inside of her. They were both fighting a losing battle…and it made it worse that they both knew that they could feel each other's battle. Naruto seemed to win out over lust for a moment, and he tried to pull away. But then she kept her arms strong and kept him close to her, and his lust swamped him again. It made her feel giddy, powerful, knowing she could make him want her so badly. His lips crushed against hers suddenly, but not unpleasantly, and soon they lost themselves to the passion. There was no thought, no words…just instinct and emotion blazing like a fire inside of them.

************************************

A soft knocking noise woke the two teenagers, seeing as they were light sleepers. Or rather, Sakura woke immediately and Naruto jumped out of bed only to fall flat on his face thanks to his current state of half-awareness. Sakura giggled as he picked himself up off the floor, dazed and confused for a second.

"I'm awake!" He yelled suddenly, and she saw that his eyes snapped open and were wide and alert. She smiled at him, and he grinned back. Then the knocking sound reached their ears again, and Naruto grimaced.

"I guess that's our wake up call, Sakura-chan." Naruto said, and Sakura frowned. He was oblivious as he leaned back over the bed, lips puckered for a kiss. She glared and grabbed a pillow, and smacked him with it right in the kisser. He stumbled backwards, falling over, and whined, "Awww…what was that for?"

Sakura glared at him and huffed, "I've told you to quit calling me Sakura-_chan_!" Naruto stood wearily as the knocking picked up in volume. The person was getting annoyed with waiting.

"I can't help it really Sakura. I mean, it just sounds so much better than just plain old 'Sakura'." He mumbled, and Sakura sighed.

"Well, fine." She said. Then she looked him over and realized he was still in just his boxers. "You better get dressed and answer the door." She said, and he hastily ran around the room to find his clothing. He pulled on his pants, his shirt, but left his headband on the nightstand. He ran downstairs, and Sakura finally allowed herself to blush.

She was surprised at herself, for what happened last night. She and Naruto had gotten into a heavy make-out session…and before she knew it she had pulled off his shirt and pants and he had her out of her pajama shirt. But then, Naruto had surprised her and pulled away. He had been the responsible one, when she had wanted to keep going…and it surprised her to no end. They had stayed in bed together, not bothering to replace their clothes that had been stripped off, and cuddled and touched each other until they fell asleep. She heard Naruto answer the door, saying, "Oi…good morning, Tenten."

Sakura's eyes widened, and she hastily searched around the room for her shirt. She spied it next to the bed, hanging off the lamp. She snagged it and hurriedly put it on, and heard Tenten and Naruto climbing the stairs. She secured her last button right as Naruto cleared the last step. Tenten followed almost immediately, and she smiled meaningfully at Sakura.

"Good morning. I came to tell both of you that we leave in a few hours. We're heading back to Konoha at noon...so I need to grab my things." Tenten said. Sakura looked around.

"What time is it?" She asked. She couldn't see any clocks or windows for her to be able to tell the time.

"It's Ten o'clock." Naruto answered. He stood by the stairwell as Tenten quickly gathered her things and tossed them back into her backpack. She hadn't unpacked a lot of things, so she was finished within a few minutes. Tenten hoisted her backpack onto her back and turned to Sakura. "I'll see you at the gate. I'm going to grab a bite to eat." She said.

Sakura nodded. "Okay. I'll get ready." She replied, and Tenten left. Naruto stood against the railing that was the only thing that kept those on the second floor from falling down to the first. He scrutinized Sakura, and then sighed. "I'm going to meet you at the gate…" He was about to continue, before Sakura through a pillow at him.

He ducked underneath the pillow easily. "I'm coming with you." Sakura said firmly. He raised an eyebrow. "You know…you _will_ end up being with me the entire trip back to Konoha, another full day after that for briefing Tsunade on everything that happened…and then probably every day after that." He reminded her. She crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest.

"What? Getting tired of me?" Sakura accused, her pale eyes narrowing. Naruto raised an eyebrow in slight confusion.

"Get tired of you? Why would I be getting tired of you? I haven't been able to spend _enough_ time with you since I got back, outside of being in a squad." Naruto said, frowning.

"Then why don't you want me coming with you?" Sakura asked, confused.

"Well…I wanted to stop by the Hospital…" Naruto said softly, and Sakura huffed as she threw back the covers and got out of bed.

"Naruto Uzumaki…" She growled, and stomped over to him, his eyes widened in fear for a second…before she stopped in front of him. "You weren't the only one who was friends with Gaara." She softly reminded him, surprising him.

"You, Lee, Neji…even me. We all got to know him a little over the years you were gone. I didn't talk to Gaara much, because whenever he visited it was only for negotiation and relationship reasons. But still, I was his guide for the times he was around, and even though he never said much…I got to like him." Sakura said, and Naruto looked astonished. "So, you're not the only one who's going to say goodbye to him." Sakura murmured. "And it's not like I'd leave you alone to get all depressed." She said, and hugged him.

He was stiff at first, surprised at her words…but then he hugged her back. "Okay, Sakura-chan. Sorry." He said, and she laughed softly.

"Don't be. It's not like you knew. Now, go get your things ready…and I'll meet you down in the lobby in ten to fifteen minutes." She said. He nodded, and then gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"See you soon." He murmured, and then left their embrace and walked downstairs. Sakura waited until she heard the door click, to reach out for the familiar feeling of his emotions…and she submerged herself in the chaotic flow. She felt his sadness at the forefront of his emotions, but behind it was happiness, and yet still hidden behind that was excitement. She couldn't believe how she could tap into his emotions…his feelings. It was so alien, so strange, yet so amazing and terrifying all at once.

The chaotic flow of his emotions rolled inside of her, and she closed her eyes and enjoyed it for a moment, before she pulled away and sighed. Time to get ready.

***************************

Naruto, Neji, Lee, Sakura, and even Shikamaru, were all in the waiting room in the Hospital, outside of the most equipped and pricey rooms in the hospital. Gaara was inside, hooked up to monitors, with his two siblings sitting around him…as they had for the past few days.

Naruto was hesitant, as he looked through the looking glass in the middle of the door and saw the weary sand siblings sitting next to their brother. Gaara was hooked up to IV's, after the surgeons had peeled off his sand armor. Gaara was no longer protected by sand when anything tried to pierce him, so the doctors had been able to pierce his skin. Naruto could feel the Kyuubi bristle at the reminder of Shukaku's fate.

Shikamaru strode forward first, walking right past Naruto and into the room. As soon as he pushed the door open, Temari's head snapped up and she looked at the doorway. When she saw Shikamaru, she stood up and walked over to him. The two Shinobi embraced, and they talked in hushed tones. Kankuro stood as well, he was wearing his traditional clothing, minus his headgear. His spiky brown hair was messy, having not been brushed for a while.

"Oi…Naruto." Kankuro said, and nodded at the blonde who was now standing in the open doorway. Naruto took a hesitant step forward, and the others followed him. Naruto hadn't spoken to the sand siblings yet. He had waited until they had taken breaks and then visited Gaara…because he was afraid they would hate him for bringing back Gaara the way he was.

As Neji stepped past Naruto, he brushed his hand gently against Naruto's shoulder, encouraging him. Lee did the same thing, but Sakura stopped at his side and looped her arm through his. She pulled him forward gently, and he slowly followed her leading.

"Good morning Kankuro." Sakura said, and Kankuro inclined his head slightly.

"You're leaving?" Temari asked, and everyone looked at her. Shikamaru shrugged, but Naruto could see he was just as disappointed as Temari was at being separated. Everyone nodded.

"We came to say our farewells." Sakura said. Kankuro sat back down and turned back to Gaara, silent. Temari sent a disapproving look to her brother, but then turned her attention back to them.

"Thank you all for doing your best to save Gaara. I know it probably wasn't easy….and you all risked your lives for him. Thank you." She said softly.

Lee spoke first. "I was repaying my debt to him…after he saved me three years ago when we went after Sasuke-kun. I was glad to help at least a little…though I wish I could have done better." He said, bowing.

Neji spoke next, as if they were in a line to say something. "It was our mission…and we would always risk our lives for a friend no matter what. Just as we're sure he would do the same." He murmured, and inclined his head.

Sakura then spoke. "I'm only sorry that we couldn't…bring him back _whole_." She said sadly, and looked at the comatose Gaara.

"I'm glad you brought him back alive, instead of dead. It may seem cruel and selfish of me, but I'm glad that he has some semblance of life, instead of being dead." Temari said, and her voice broke. Shikamaru draped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. He held her while she composed herself.

"I failed…for the second time. We were too late originally, but then Chiyo brought him back, only to have her life wasted and leaving Gaara in a half-alive half-dead state." Naruto said, and everyone looked at him. He was staring at Gaara, his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. Even Kankuro was paying attention, having turned in his chair to see Naruto.

"I didn't manage to save Sasuke, and I didn't manage to save Gaara. Two of the most important people in my life…I failed. I beg your forgiveness for failing to save your brother, for being so weak." Naruto choked out, and fell to his knees. He bent his forehead to the ground, the metal forehead protector touching the tile. Everyone stood, stunned, at his words and display, until Temari bent down in front of Naruto. She knelt, her knees touching the floor a few inches from Naruto's head. She reached forward and laid a hand on Naruto's head, earning a jealous glare from Sakura.

"Naruto Uzumaki…" Temari said softly, her voice sad yet caring. "You were strong enough to face several 'S' class Ninjas and come out alive, all to save my brother. You risked your life for him, you did your best for him…and that's all that matters. I don't hold you accountable for what happened. I won't go as far as to say it was his fate to die…but Chiyo managed to reverse what had been done. I don't hold you accountable at all for what happened…except that you tried your hardest, and that's all any of us could ask. Gaara would be happy knowing that you all felt strongly enough about him to do your best to rescue him. He'd be especially glad that you were there, Naruto."

Naruto looked up at her, his eyes watery. Temari smiled kindly down at him and ran a hand through his hair. Sakura's eyes narrowed as she regarded the action, and she felt a stab of jealousy. Temari murmured, "Thank you, Naruto…for doing your best. It really does mean a lot to us that you brought him back…even like this."

Temari got to her feet, and Naruto followed her example. Kankuro regarded Naruto for a second with Narrowed eyes before he spoke. "You did your best. That's all anyone can ask for…and I can't be angry with you when you fought through three 'S' class guys to get Gaara." He said, and Naruto felt Sakura take his left hand in her hand, and she stroked soothing circles on the back of his hand with her thumb.

Then, Lee walked over the Gaara's bedside, and spoke to the redhead. "Gaara-kun…we have to leave. I promise I will make regular inquiries to your condition…and if you ever wake, I will be come here to see you. Thank you so much…and please, don't let your flames die out!" Lee sobbed, and everyone looked at him incredulously. He had a great start…but then he totally killed the sentimentality with his 'flames' part. SO typically Lee.

"Get better and wake up Gaara. We're all waiting anxiously for you." Neji said, and tugged Lee away from Gaara's side. Sakura went up next, and touched the warm skin of the Hokage's hand. It felt so strange…feeling fragile flesh after hearing so much about his hard sand armor.

"Gaara…I know we didn't know each other very well, but I consider you a friend. Please, get better. We'll be waiting for word, and if you ever want us…just send word." She murmured, and looked at the heart monitor. All it showed was the same heartbeat, regular and unresponsive. She sighed and stepped away, leaving room for Naruto. Naruto stepped up to the side of the bed, between Kankuro and Gaara.

"Gaara." Naruto said softly, his voice trembling. "It's me, Naruto."

There was no change in the monitors, good or bad, and Naruto fought back an irrational wave of disappointment. He shouldn't have expected Gaara to show any reaction. "I'm sorry I was so late. I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner…I know I could have." He murmured. He ground his teeth together, and choked out, "You fought, though, as hard as you could. You fought for your people…you fought for love…and I'm proud to call you my friend. I promise you…I'll make the Akatsuki pay for what they've done to you. I swear it, and I swear I won't let any of the others be captured without one hell of a fight." He said.

Earlier last night, he had talked to the fox about not just the link between Sakura and himself…but on other things now that his body was stronger. The second time he had transformed into a half-demon…his body had transformed faster, but when the transformation ended…Naruto's physical strength had increased slightly. He wanted to know what the hell was happening, and he got a very lengthy run-down of what was happening. Just as he had learned from the Kyuubi, he held out his right hand above Gaara's prone form palm up. With his left hand, he pulled out his kunai from his holster on his right thigh, and quickly slashed a gash around his right palm.

Everyone gasped, and Lee yelled, "Naruto-kun!"

Naruto ignored them. "I swear this on my blood, Gaara." He finished the oath and a flash of energy, that was not his own, filled his body. He had performed an oath, and as he was becoming more and more half demon with every transformation…he had just performed a Demon's Oath. The Demon's Oath, was something that no Demon did lightly. The Demon's Oath was a driving, compelling force, that once started…you had to go through with it or die trying. It compelled you, never left your thoughts, and no matter the cost…Demons always followed through with their Oaths.

'_**How sentimental.'**_ The Fox's deep bass voice rumbled in his mind. _**'But, despite the dramatic statement, you got it down. I'm sure Gaara, and Shukaku, would have appreciated it.'**_

Naruto was puzzled for a moment. The Kyuubi had been most helpful the past few days…almost to the point of annoyance. But still…the king of Demons was still helping a mortal, his jailer, of all things. Naruto's contemplation on the matter was overrode by a sudden urge that took him by surprise. He managed not to gasp at the ferocity of his compulsion to jump out the window and start hunting the Akatsuki down, and he vaguely felt Sakura heal his cut. But, an angry red scar remained, due to its significance. It pulsed with an angry energy, and it would not fully heal until his promise was fulfilled.

"Naruto! What did you do?" Sakura gasped, trying to heal the scar. He felt her try to heal it, and saw that nothing was changing the angry red scar.

"I made a Demon's Oath." Naruto said simply. He knew it would unsettle them enough to shut them up, but didn't anticipate Lee's sudden tensing. Naruto looked over at Lee, and saw he was in a tense position, one that would allow him to attack Naruto should Naruto give him reason.

"Lee…I'm not the Kyuubi." Naruto reminded him softly, feeling hurt at the young man's actions. He thought Lee's loyalty was practically unwavering…

"Then you shouldn't be able to make Demons' Oaths." Lee said roughly, his eyes squinted. Naruto knew that this was sound logic, except that Lee hadn't understood his statement. He had said he was the Kyuubi…not that he wasn't able to make Demon's Oaths because he wasn't a Demon.

"Lee!" Sakura gasped, her voice shocked. Neji reached out and touched his teammate's shoulder, and Lee relaxed…but only slightly. Naruto gritted his teeth, and felt the hard gazes of Kankuro and Temari on their group. Shikamaru finally sighed.

"Lee…relax. It's Naruto being Naruto…nothing sinister." He said, and Naruto wished he could agree. A Demon's Oath was _very_ sinister, though.

Lee finally relaxed, and nodded. "My apologies, Naruto-kun." He murmured, and Naruto shrugged. He turned back to Gaara, Sakura still holding his injured hand.

"I'll be back, Gaara. Don't keep me waiting." Naruto said softly, and then turned towards Sakura.

"It won't heal, Sakura…just leave it for now. Let's go meet everyone at the Gate." Naruto said. They all nodded, and Sakura released his hand.

"Thank you all, again." Temari said, as they left, and they all bowed in response. Then, they left the room, leaving Shikamaru to say his farewell to Temari.

After a few minutes, Shikamaru came out, and they walked the rest of the way to the Gate. Naruto was extremely aware of Lee now, and the fact that Sakura placed herself between them as if by casual chance. But, he could read her true face, even hiding behind the casual mask. She was making sure she could protect Naruto from Lee, as if she really could beat the incredibly quick spandex-wearing boy. But, Naruto didn't believe that she would be able to, or that Lee would actually fight him. He might be wary, but he wouldn't attack…not unless Naruto did first, which Naruto would never do. Even if Lee doubted it, Naruto wouldn't attack his friends. Never.

When they reached the main gate area, the entrance via the canyon, if Kakashi or Guy saw the minor tension or stress they didn't comment on it. They made a few plans, said farewell to the sand emissary, and then left. They didn't push themselves that hard at all, keeping a well measured pace, and they made it into the forest at the edge of the desert by nightfall.

When they made camp, they did so in a large clearing, and they all ate around a smokeless fire. The two teams talked animatedly, all except for Naruto. He was quiet, watching Lee. He saw his sensei, and Sakura, constantly flick subtle yet casual glances at him…watching him. He ate in silence, and made his bed in silence. They all made a large circle around the fire, to keep warm, and Kakashi and Guy said they would take the first two shifts to watch. Naruto volunteered third, and Sakura fourth, and Lee fifth. That was all they would need.

As they went to bed, Naruto ground his teeth when he noticed that Lee slept on the farthest side away from Naruto, with Sakura, Neji, Tenten and Shikamaru between them. Naruto decided he wouldn't sleep and, as everyone else laid down, he sat by Kakashi, on the outer perimeter of the campsite.

Naruto sat silently by his teacher, until his keen hearing heard everyone else's breathing even out. Lee and Guy started a light snore, and Naruto wrinkled his nose in annoyance.

"Yeah…I had to deal with that, but Guy gets louder." Kakashi laughed softly, almost whispering.

"Ugh." was the only sound Naruto made in response. They sat quietly again, for a few minutes straight, until Kakashi spoke.

"Naruto…what happened between you and Lee?" He asked casually, so soft it was practically a stage-whisper.

"I made a Demon's Oath…promising Gaara that I would hunt down Akatsuki, and not let another Jinchuriki become captured without a hell of a fight." Naruto said, and felt his body shiver as he realized how large of a promise he had made. But, the iron bar of his promise was in his mind, driving him to run even now to hunt Akatsuki. But, he resisted.

"And?" Kakashi asked, softly. He didn't seem surprised.

"Lee seemed to think…something along the lines of me no longer being me. He seemed like he might attack if I stepped a toe out of line…and he's been like that all day." Naruto murmured, biting his lip the stabbing pain of bitter sadness that echoed through his heart.

"So how are you able to make a Demon's Oath? Are you…?" Kakashi asked softly, but he didn't move away from Naruto. He didn't even act slightly troubled, and his voice was casual, as if he was asking about some boring everyday thing. Naruto was grateful for that.

"I transformed…back in the cave. I became…" Naruto choked on the word. "A half-demon, with a few tails." He felt tears sting his eyes, and he angrily wiped them away. "I'd only done it once, during my training trip. But then, it hadn't left me with any side-effects. But this last time, when the transformation ended, I ended up with a slightly larger Chakra capacity and my strength is increased a bit. I talked to the Kyuubi about it…and it turns out the more I transform into that state, I become more and more half-demon. So I can make a Demon's oath, at the very least." He murmured, his voice wavering. He felt fear clog his senses, fear that he would lose himself. But, he pushed past it, casting it aside. He wouldn't contemplate that right now.

"Hmmm. You're going to have to inform Madame Hokage about that." He said lightly, and Naruto nodded.

"But…I don't think that Lee should have responded or should be acting like this. It's unbecoming, it makes others doubt his loyalty…and it hurts you." Kakashi said softly. "I can have Guy talk to him, if you want." He offered.

Naruto shook his head. "No. I don't blame him, really. He's right to be cautious. I'm dangerous."

"Liar." Kakashi said lightly, and Naruto winced. "You blame him…it's in your eyes."

Naruto looked away, blushing at being caught in his lie. "Well, he needs to work it out if he feels he can trust me or not, all for himself. That's his choice."

"If that's what you feel you want." Kakashi said softly. Naruto nodded once, sharply.

"Very well. Naruto…you should get some rest." He murmured, looking out away from the campsite and into the woods. Naruto sighed.

"I was just waiting for them to fall asleep. I was tired of seeing Lee's…hesitancy around me." Naruto said, and stood. Kakashi gave him a gentle pat on his back, and whispered a goodnight. Naruto yawned, and went to his sleeping bag. He removed his headband, his shoes, but not his clothing or kunai holster. He got inside of the sleeping bag, and laid his blond head back against his pillow…and closed his eyes.

Without the usual wait, he fell right asleep…his dreams haunted by images of him hunting down and destroying the Akatsuki. He dreamed of their demise, his fellow Jinchuriki's safety…and Gaara's revival. Perhaps…someday it would come true.

_____________________________________________________

I do sincerely apologize for the lateness of the chapter, dear readers. I got on a major Bleach kick and wrote a BUNCH of chapters, and then I wrote a chapter of my NaruxHina story, and then I've been working on this. Unfortunately, this got deleted from my computer when I accidentally deleted the file I had put it in(I had stored it in an old file, and I forgot its location. I only opened the story via 'recent documents', so I never went into the file and was reminded of its location.) So, I had to redo it, and then I got stumped on a couple parts, trying to remember what I had written. SOOO, I beg your forgiveness…and anyone who forgives me will get a cookie! ;)

Please, visit my other stories if you're a fan of Bleach or NaruxHina, and don't forget to REVIEW! XD YAY! Next Chapter will be up A LOT sooner than this one was, lol.


	13. Chapter 13

Lost in the Green Seas

Chapter 13

THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! Here's my next chappy, as promised, sooner than my previous had been uploaded, lol!

Miseryluvsdeath...dude...i always love your short reviews! :D

Winnow, *hands homemade cookie* here you go. THanks for forgiving me! :D

I'm sorry, Cartman4president...no lemons yet. But you can have a cookie! *hands cookie*

Thank you serika2001...it means alot to me that you enjoy my tales so much! :D I thank you for the wonderful compliments about the story, and my writing style, and I hope I can keep you pleased with this next chapter!!!

Tony47993: I look forward to hearing a review from you on my bleach story then! I doubt you can't write...anyone who wants to write, can write. It's all a matter of practice. :) So, if you ever feel like writing...write and if you ever feel like having someone's input, send it to me and I'll be sure to let you know what I think.... :D (and I won't be mean, I swear!)

Blue-Zangetsu, I wanted to put that scene in, but I was afraid everyone would call me a ripper-offer-person lol. *couldn't think of the right word*. I really loved that part in the series, lol.

And last: to butterflyV: HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER! YAY!

Previously on Lost in the Green Seas:

"_Very well. Naruto…you should get some rest." He murmured, looking out away from the campsite and into the woods. Naruto sighed._

"_I was just waiting for them to fall asleep. I was tired of seeing Lee's…hesitancy around me." Naruto said, and stood. Kakashi gave him a gentle pat on his back, and whispered a goodnight. Naruto yawned, and went to his sleeping bag. He removed his headband, his shoes, but not his clothing or kunai holster. He got inside of the sleeping bag, and laid his blond head back against his pillow…and closed his eyes._

_Without the usual wait, he fell right asleep…his dreams haunted by images of him hunting down and destroying the Akatsuki. He dreamed of their demise, his fellow Jinchuriki's safety…and Gaara's revival. Perhaps…someday it would come true._

CONTINUATION:

It took two more days to return to Konoha at their regular pacing…two days during which Lee slowly warmed back up to Naruto. Naruto, however, felt more than a little hurt at how long Lee doubted him…and hardly acknowledged Lee's attempts to apologize. Sakura placed herself dutifully between the two, constantly watching Lee. By the time they reached Konoha, there was a sad silence between Lee and Naruto. Lee was openly sad, moping, while Naruto kept his face composed.

The rest of the teams were brought down by this atmosphere, and no one spoke very much at all. It suited Naruto just fine, to have this silence. They walked down the streets of Konoha, to the Hokage building, up the floors of rooms, until they reached the Mission Briefing/debriefing room. The Hokage was waiting for them, alone. This was an informal session. The formal was when Kakashi and Guy handed in their mission reports. So, this was just Tsunade listening to their accounts, without the clutter of paperwork.

"Sit down, everyone." Tsunade sighed, indicating to the eight cushioned chairs in front of her and her desk. They obeyed, setting their backpacks on the floor next to their chairs. They all got comfortable enough to sit for a while, and Team Guy sat on the far left, and Team Kakashi on the right side. Shikamaru sat between them, while Lee and Naruto sat on the ends of the chairs. Tsunade noticed the division and frowned, but continued.

"So, what's the status?" She asked. She already knew it, due to Kakashi sending ahead a message via bird messenger, but she wanted to know if there was any change.

"Gaara of the Sand has had his Biju removed, and was killed. He was brought back with a Forbidden Jutsu, but it was interrupted and it left him in a coma. A new Kazekage, with a positive outlook on Suna/Konoha relations, is in office. He is anxiously awaiting an invitation so he may travel here and speak to you in person." Kakashi said, all business.

"MISSION SUCCESS!" Guy roared eagerly, springing from his seat.

"Thank you…please sit." Tsunade sighed, and Guy obeyed instantly.

"Okay…so, Kakashi reported that you fought three 'S' class criminals, and one is dead?" Tsunade asked, looking back and forth between the teams. Everyone nodded.

"And Sakura, you were the one to fell 'Sasori of the Red Sands'?" She asked, turning her eyes to her apprentice.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." Sakura replied, blushing. "But not without a lot of help from Naruto." She hastily said, sending a look towards the blond. He grinned.

"That's not true, Baa-chan. I helped only a little. She was the main show, and Shikamaru and I just backed her up." He said, jerking a thumb back at the pink-haired Kunoichi. Sakura blushed a little more.

"Well, then, the bounties on Sasori's head will be paid to you, Sakura. Congratulations. We'll talk about that later, however. Do you have any good intelligence on the other two?" She asked, turning to look at Kakashi and Naruto, who had engaged both.

"Yes. One's name is Deidara, from the Hidden Rock Village. He's an explosive expert, primarily mid-to-long-distance attacker. He forms explosive clay with strange mouths in the palms of his hands, infuses the clay with Chakra, and then detonates the charges. He was fairly easy for Naruto to bring down. The other, I'm not quite sure of. He seems to be a half plant, half man organism. His name, I believe is," Kakashi started, before Naruto took over.

"Zetsu. I know several things about him, thanks to Jiraiya's network. His mastery is earth-style Jutsu, primarily dealing with plants, but he's immune to Genjutsu due to a split personality. He heals by consuming human flesh. He's one of the Akatsuki's strongest…and I was very lucky that he underestimated me." Naruto said gravely. Tsunade nodded.

"I'm glad you're fine then, Naruto. Now, I'd just like a brief individual debrief from each of you, just to sum up what you faced, and what the enemy's capabilities were." She said, and it took three hours for all of them to tell their stories. Naruto was last, and he skipped his transformation, and his oath. He would explain it to her after everyone had left.

When Team Guy, Shikamaru and Kakashi left, Naruto stayed sitting in his chair. Sakura took her cue from him, not wanting to leave him right at the moment. Tsunade raised an eyebrow, but remained silent until it was just the three of them.

"I didn't tell you everything." Naruto said, once the door snapped shut. One of Tsunade's slim eyebrow raised in reaction. Naruto shrugged. "I didn't want to go into it…for reasons I don't care to share at the moment." He was thinking of Lee, at the moment.

Tsunade nodded, not happy with his words but accepting them regardless. Naruto took a breath, and slowly recounted every detail of his transformation, and it took a whole twenty minutes to do so. The entire time, Tsunade kept her face emotionless…but Naruto saw flickers of disbelief in her eyes. Then, he spoke of the oath he made, explaining the intricacies of the Oath, and how he was bonded for life until death to complete the promise. He looked back and forth between Sakura and Tsunade while he explained it, keeping his eyes mainly on Sakura though, to gauge their reactions. Sakura didn't show any surprise or, much to Naruto relief, fear.

Tsunade allowed him to finish, before clearing her throat. "Well…Naruto…that's a lot of information to process." She said slowly. Naruto nodded, and Tsunade sighed.

"I suppose you'll want to be on the mission then, where we'll try to find the Akatsuki spy in Orochimaru's forces?" She asked.

"No." Naruto said, and both Sakura and Tsunade looked at him in shock. He moved his hands from the arms of his chair to his lap, where he clasped them tightly together. "I…don't think we should go." He murmured. Sakura was the first one to react.

"Why? That's our best shot to find Sasuke!" She whispered fiercely. Naruto nodded.

"I know, Sakura. Trust me, I know." Naruto whispered, closing his eyes and grimacing.

"Then explain why you don't think we should go." Tsunade barked, and Naruto opened his eyes.

"Because…I think I can find Orochimaru without using the Akatsuki spy. Not only that…I need to focus on finding my fellow Jinchuriki. If I manage to protect them, put them in a safe place…then Akatsuki will have to come to us all at once. With the power of all of the gathered Jinchuriki combined…no Akatsuki member will survive. We'll capture them, torture them, get the information we want…and then rescue Sasuke. If the other Jinchuriki are like Gaara and I at all, I can persuade them to help us take on Orochimaru, and then we'll have a much higher chance at bringing Sasuke back." Naruto explained.

The Visions that Sakura had experienced were suddenly in her mind, simply her remembering what she saw, and she frowned. Nowhere had she seen any Jinchuriki. NOWHERE. That concerned her…a lot. Did the Jinchuriki die? Did they even agree to go to find Orochimaru? Would Naruto succeed in fighting Sasuke? Or would he end up dying by Sasuke's hand? Or even Orochimaru's hand? She shivered slightly, and forced herself to speak up.

"In my vision, Naruto…I never saw any other people. It was just us, and Sasuke." Sakura murmured, and Naruto nodded. "I remember." He said, but Tsunade's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean 'visions'?" She asked, reminding Sakura that Tsunade didn't know. Sakura fidgeted. "I…I've been having visions...ever since Naruto came back." Sakura said, chagrin clear on her face. She knew her teacher didn't buy much into mystical things, but still…

"Visions about?" Tsunade prompted, and Sakura winced as the memories blossomed. "I saw Naruto fighting Sasuke in the Valley of the End, all those years ago. Then...I saw Naruto fighting him again at the Valley in the future, and I was immobilized on the sidelines. Sasuke stabbed Naruto with Chidori, and then with a broken sword…" She murmured, and Tsunade blinked.

"Really?" She asked, surprised. Sakura nodded. "Yes…there's something about it that just…was undeniably a vision. It was so real…it wasn't a dream." She said, firm. Tsunade seemed thoughtful.

"Well…this is an interesting development." Tsunade finally said. She frowned slightly, but then her face cleared up. "But, either way, today is a good day. You all come back alive, after battling three 'S' class criminals and you killed one of them! Gaara's still alive, though not as alive as we all would wish, and Jiraiya had some good news as well!" She said, beaming. Naruto cast a suspicious glance around.

"Okay, Baa-chan…where'd you hide your Sake?" He asked, patronizingly.

Tsunade laughed. "Relax…I drank it all." She laughed, and Naruto shook his head.

"WHAT? I was stressing! My apprentice was out with a blond knucklehead, fighting three 'S' class ninja and I can't drink Sake to relieve my stress?" Tsunade demanded. Naruto rolled his eyes

"So, what's Jiraiya's good news?" Naruto asked. Tsunade got up from her chair and enlightened them eagerly.

"Jiraiya found me a loophole in the law I've been looking for!" Tsunade crowed. "I can get you promoted, Naruto! Your training mission was moved up to a 'B' rank, and you're not only getting paid handsomely for succeeding in your mission…but I found a law that said if a ninja goes on a long-term life-endangering mission of a year or longer: they have rights to be promoted one to two ranks higher, depending on the Hokage's discretion and judgment of the danger of the mission!" Tsunade said, and Naruto bolted to his feet.

"WHAT?" He gasped. Tsunade winked.

"Yes…exactly. Now, Naruto Uzumaki…stand at attention!" Tsunade barked, suddenly all business. Naruto stiffened, and Sakura fought the urge to giggle at his ridiculously serious expression.

"Naruto Uzumaki, due to your services and heroic actions on behalf of your Hidden Village, I am hereby promoting you to the rank of Special Jonin! While you would usually have had to take an exam, we know from the past few days, that in the fields of strategy and power…you are high enough to promote you straight past Chunin to Special Jonin. Will you accept this promotion, with the promise to continue in your service as you have before…with the purposes of bettering yourself to protect your village?" Tsunade asked, her face completely serious. Naruto bowed.

"Of course, Tsunade-sama!" Naruto said, and Sakura bit back a hysterical giggle at the use of Tsunade's title.

"Good. Then, take this vest as a sign of your promotion…and make your Village proud!" Tsunade said, and reached into a drawer of her desk. She pulled out a standard issue Jonin/Special Jonin vest, and presented it to Naruto. He took it slowly, eyes wide with glee, and bowed deeply to Tsunade. Tsunade inclined her head, and then sighed. "Okay, pompous ceremony moment over."

Naruto laughed, and then yelled, "WAHOO! I DID IT!" He started dancing around, much to Tsunade and Sakura's chagrin, until Tsunade got tired. Which was, exactly 2.3 seconds later. "Enough!" She yelled, and Naruto shut up.

"Sakura…let's talk about your money rewards. Naruto…go on and get home. Sakura and I have a lot to talk about." Tsunade said, shooing Naruto away. He protested only once, but was shut up as Tsunade power-kicked him through the wall.

"Shut up and get going!" Tsunade yelled, and he obeyed. He picked himself up, and ran like the devil was behind him.

***********************

Naruto stood in front of his apartment, not his father's, and closed his eyes. It was too much to ask for, for him to be gone for a few days and not have his apartment trashed. Graffiti was sprayed all over his door, blood-red, and his door hung slightly off its hinges. He stepped into his apartment, grim, as he surveyed the mess. His table was broken, shattered, as well as his chairs. Pots and pans were on the floor, dented, and his glass cups were shattered into pieces all along the floor. Naruto advanced, seeing his fridge was open and his food most likely spoiled now, and saw that his only furniture was slashed. His couch was ripped, by knife or kunai he couldn't tell, into shreds. His TV was on the floor, in pieces and beyond repair. A cold knife of fear stabbed into his chest, and he bolted to his bedroom. He ignored his ruined bed, his ruined dresser, his broken bathroom door, and ran to where he put his photos. They were on the floor, frames smashed and glass littering the floor.

He fell to his knees, ignoring the class cutting into him, and picked up one of the frames. It was empty. He felt a sinking feeling in his gut, and picked up the remaining frames. All of them were empty. He got to his feet, ignoring the warm blood that ran down his shins from his knees. His wounds would heal in seconds. He went to the bathroom, flicking on the light. He groaned in despair as he was confronted by the sight of a pile of soggy, blackened pieces of paper in his bathtub. Someone had shredded his pictures and then set them on fire. Tears gathered in his eyes, and he spun and looked at the mirror above his sink.

Demon, bastard, Fox Brat, were all scrawled on his mirror with some kind of paint. He growled, as tears spilled down his cheeks, and punched his mirror. Never before had people gone this far. They would destroy his valuables, knock over a chair or two, but mainly graffiti his wall. They had never gone this far before…shredding his pictures. That was one thing they had never done. Naruto ignored the splinters of glass in his knuckles as he punched his mirror again and it shattered completely. The clear pieces fell into his sink, and he bit back a sob.

He threw down the vest in his hand, and leaned over the sink. He gritted his teeth as the Kyuubi's power healed him, forcing the glass out of the wounds in his knees and knuckles, and healing the gashes. "Damn them!" Naruto snarled, wiping the tears on the jumpsuit sleeve.

He bent down, grabbed his vest, and then straightened. Why were these people so mean? Why couldn't they let him be? He walked to his dresser, knowing what he would find. All his things that he hadn't had in his backpack, that was currently on his back, was ruined. His clothes were torn in shreds, his furniture broken, and his other possessions trashed. "COME ON!" Naruto screamed to the sky, and punched the top of his wooden dresser, snapping it in half due to the force.

"Naruto?" A voice called. Naruto froze for a second, and then spun, slipping into a half-crouch. His hand had automatically retrieved a Kunai, and he held it in a defensive position in front of him. The person appeared in the doorway, and he blinked in surprise.

"Jiraiya-sensei?" Naruto asked, straightening. Jiraiya's eyes roamed over the place, and he frowned.

"Naruto…I came to congratulate you on the promotion…" Jiraiya said, and his eyes locked on the broken picture frames on the floor. He knew how much Naruto treasured the photos…Naruto had taken them out every night and placed them out wherever they had been during the past few years. "They burned them?" Jiraiya asked softly. Naruto nodded, fighting a trembling lip, and Jiraiya sighed.

"Come on…let's get you to your dad's place." Jiraiya said, and Naruto nodded. He walked behind Jiraiya, out of the apartment, silent. They didn't look back when they left, but walked silently down Konoha's streets.

"Honestly, this might be a good thing, Naruto. You can live in your father's place, because it's not like people hang around there much. You knew it was only a matter of time until some Village idiot did exactly what they just did…" Jiraiya said. Naruto nodded numbly, not bothering to argue. He had just lost all he really valued in his apartment: his photos of his friends…of Sasuke.

Jiraiya didn't comment any more on the incident, but escorted Naruto to his father's apartment. Naruto still clutched his Special Jonin vest in his hand, but he didn't pay it any attention. Jiraiya and Naruto both were forced to use Chakra to climb up the busted stairwell that led to Minato's apartment, but it was rather easy. When they made it to the door of the apartment, Jiraiya patted Naruto's back.

"Get some rest, Gaki. Take a nap, sleep it off…I'll see you later." Jiraiya said. He turned, about to leave Naruto, and called over his shoulder, "Congratulations on your promotion. You're that much closer to your dream." Then, he left. Naruto was left standing alone…and he hated it.

He entered the apartment, shutting it and locking it behind him, and then numbly dropped his backpack and vest on the floor by the door. He stepped out of his shoes, and walked across the apartment. He wiped away a stray tear, as he made it to his parent's room.

He immediately went to the bed and plopped down. He curled up into a ball on the middle of the bed, and laid there. He didn't like this place anymore. He had seen how in Suna, they had treated Gaara. He had been their Kazekage, their Jinchuriki…and almost everyone had loved him. It seemed none loved Naruto here. Why bother being Hokage? Why try to protect those civilians who hated you? Why bother? He laid there…trying, and failing, to answer the questions floating around his head.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

"Sakura!" A voice called, a disturbingly familiar voice, and Sakura turned around. Ino ran up to her, waving. Sakura waved back, and greeted her long-time friend and ex-rival.

"Hey, Ino. What are you doing?" Sakura asked. Ino laughed.

"I'm enjoying the day off. But, Choji's not off today…so I have nothing to do. Soooooo…." Ino said, prolonging the 'o' and looking at Sakura expectantly. Sakura sighed.

"Fine. Come on." She sighed, and her blond friend cheered.

"I knew you wouldn't let me down!" Ino boasted, while Sakura shook her head. She didn't want to play around. She wanted to see Naruto. "So…where are we going?" Ino asked as they continued walking. Sakura spotted Naruto's apartment building, and smiled brightly.

"We're going to Naruto. He just got promoted to Special Jonin." Sakura bragged, happy to be able to outdo Ino. Choji was just a Chunin, and so was Shikamaru…so now Naruto outranked them.

"What?" Ino gasped. Her blond bangs were hanging over her right eye, so her left eye was wide in surprise. Sakura admitted a bit jealously…Ino looked much better than she had all those years ago. She was glad Ino was taken…or she would have been after Naruto faster than Naruto going after Ramen.

"Yup. He was just promoted a few hours ago!" Sakura said, skipping slightly. Ino laughed. "The blond knucklehead, the last one in all of our classes, the failure, the _dead-last_ outranks us?!"

Sakura shot her friend a dirty look. "Yes…Naruto finally got promoted. About time too, if you ask me. You should have seen him on our mission…he's so strong…" Sakura shivered. Ino's lone visible eyebrow shot up.

"Really?" She asked. Sakura nodded. "You should have seen him fight Itachi…well, Itachi's clone or something. Then when he fought Sasori…he's impossibly strong. He deserved this promotion." Sakura said, proud for her Naruto. She and Ino both entered the apartment building, and Ino asked a question.

"So...what's up with his whole 'father' thing? The Fourth is really his dad, right?" Ino asked. Sakura nodded. "Yep. Can you believe it?" She laughed.

"I suppose I should have made the connection years ago, but I didn't really care too much. But still, why does Naruto live in a cheap apartment complex when his father was the Hokage?" She asked, sweeping her hand around to indicate what she meant. This place was definitely not the nicest place in Konoha.

They entered the elevator, and Sakura pressed the proper floor button. "Well…I don't know. Maybe he'll move into his father's apartment eventually." She said. Ino rolled her eyes.

"If the boy was smart, he'd move in now." Ino said.

Sakura giggled. "Since when has Naruto been smart?" She joked, and Ino laughed along. The Elevator dinged, and they exited. "Two more floors to go." Sakura informed Ino. Ino nodded, and sighed.

"Lemme guess…we have to take the stairs?" Ino asked. Sakura nodded. "The Elevator wasn't designed to reach the top floor, where Naruto lives." She explained. They began the long trek to Naruto's floor.

"Well…so…how far have you two gotten?" Ino asked, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. Sakura blushed.

"We've held hands, kissed…made out…and, well…" Sakura took a deep breath. "We slept in the same bed." Ino gasped, and then burst out laughing.

"SAKURA! You SLEPT with him?" She screeched, almost falling down the stairs. Sakura blushed. "Not like that!" Sakura protested.

"We…got a bit carried away, but then Naruto came to his senses. We just slept in the same bed after that…and, to be honest…I wish he hadn't come to his senses." Sakura admitted, biting her lower lip.

Ino smirked knowingly. "Sakura…you horndog." She teased. Sakura glared and raised her fist, but Ino just laughed, knowing Sakura wouldn't hit her.

"Damn you, Ino-pig." Sakura muttered.

"Whatever, forehead." Ino teased back. Sakura sighed. "How far have you and Choji gotten?" Sakura asked, curious.

It was Ino's turn to blush. "We've held hands, and we've hugged…but he's a little hesitant about the kissing." Ino admitted.

Sakura smirked. "What? I'm surprised you haven't forced him to kiss you yet."

Ino tossed her hair impatiently. "Whatever. Anyway, Choji just…is insecure. He's never kissed before, and neither have I, but he's convinced he'll be a bad kisser. I can't do anything to persuade him." Ino said, frowning.

"Maybe just a bit of patience is the key." Sakura suggested lightly. Ino laughed. "Patience? Since when have I ever been patient?"

"Now's just a good of a time to learn as any." Sakura chided, and then paused as they reached Naruto's floor. "Here we are. Just a few doors down." They walked in silence, and Sakura frowned. Something seemed off…

They reached Naruto's door, and Ino gasped. Sakura paled, as she saw the graffiti on Naruto's broken door. "What the?!" Ino whispered, and Sakura trembled.

"Naruto?" She called, and took a hesitant step inside.

"Sakura…what happened here?" Ino whispered.

"Naruto's always had problems with the villagers. It looks like they got really violent." Sakura whispered, as she took in the sight of Naruto's trashed kitchen. His table, chairs, glasses, dishes, were all broken and shattered. She stepped carefully around the debris. She hoped Naruto hadn't been here during the attack…

"Naruto?" She called again, as she advanced into the living room. She heard glass crackle under Ino's careful steps as the blond followed her. There was only dead silence in reply to her call. She gasped at the sight of Naruto's living room, just as trashed as the kitchen.

"Oh no…" She murmured.

"What kind of people would do this? This is against the law!" Ino hissed. Sakura shook her head, too distraught to answer. She went to Naruto's bedroom, and froze. His dresser was cracked in two, his bed shredded, his clothes torn into shreds on the floor. Then, she saw the broken glass and frames on the floor.

She walked over to them, and saw that the frames were broken completely…and empty. Naruto's pictures were gone. She turned and went to the bathroom, barely registering Ino's shocked gasp as she saw the mess in Naruto's bedroom. The light was already on, she noted, and she flinched as she saw the blood on the floor. It was recent. It was only a few drips, but from the fact that there were bloody shattered mirror pieces in the sink…she figured Naruto had been here. She looked into the tub, and flinched. Scorch marks were visible in the tub…and there were piles of square paper, soggy despite their charred appearance. She knelt next to the tub and grabbed a piece, and blinked. These were Naruto's pictures. Someone had shredded them and burned them. She got on her feet, and blinked back tears. How dare someone do this to Naruto! How could they?

"Sakura…the blood! Do you think he's okay?" Ino asked from behind her. Sakura nodded. "He's fine…he heals fast, remember? From the looks of it, he punched his mirror." Sakura said, indicating to the bloody mirror pieces in the sink and on the floor. That, and the fist indentation on the wall.

"Where could he be now? We need to do something! We need to find him." Ino said. Sakura nodded.

"He's probably at his father's apartment. Come on. Follow me." Sakura said, and Ino nodded. They bolted from the apartment, sickened and disheartened at the sight of heartless destruction.

************

They were at the top floor of the apartment complex, just having used Chakra to adhere to the walls and climb the stairwell. They were both shocked to see the pristine condition of the hallway, the top floor, and Ino whispered, "Whoa."

"Which door?" Sakura whispered back.

"Why are we whispering?" Ino whispered as a retort.

"Because." Sakura whispered, and then shook her head. She spoke a bit louder. "Let's just try this door. Door 803." Sakura said, and stepped forward. She walked up to it, and raised her hand. She knocked three times, and then waited. She took a breath, counting in her head, and was about to knock again when the door opened. Sakura froze as she saw Naruto.

Naruto was wearing a set of clothing that definitely wasn't his. They had no orange in them, for one, and they were a bit big…but they looked good on him. He was wearing black Jonin pants, a black long-sleeved tee, that accentuated his muscles. Sakura blinked in surprise as she realized that was all he was wearing. He wasn't wearing a headband at all, and it added to the scary image that he was his father.

"Naruto…" Sakura murmured, and he blinked.

"Ino, Sakura…come on in." He said, and opened the door wide. Sakura stepped inside, and mouthed 'wow'. His apartment was big! Twice as big as his old one! Naruto shut the door behind them, and Sakura turned. She saw the wall with the pictures, and gasped. "Is that your mother?"

Naruto had put the picture back on the wall, where it hung with the pictures of Kakashi's team, and Jiraiya and Minato on Gamabunta's head. Naruto looked fondly at the redheaded woman cradling her swollen stomach, and Ino gasped. "She's so beautiful!"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. That's my mom, Kushina."

"We…" Sakura started, and frowned. "We saw your apartment…" She murmured.

"Oh. Yeah." Naruto said, and his gaze hardened. "I was so worried…I'm glad you're okay." Sakura whispered, and hugged him. His arms wrapped around her, and she sighed at the warmth of his body.

Ino coughed awkwardly, and Sakura giggled. "Ino was concerned too. But…don't you dare hug her. She might have second thoughts about Choji." Sakura teased, and Ino gave Naruto a playful once-over.

"Not bad. I actually might just decide to chase you for fun." Ino teased, winking. Naruto smirked. "Sorry. I prefer girls an IQ over twenty." He bantered back.

"Hmph." Ino snorted, and Naruto laughed.

"Come on in. Don't just stand there. Lemme show you the apartment!" Naruto said, genuinely excited. These were the first people to see the apartment in a long time. He gave them the tour, showing them the pristine condition of everything, and even going as far as the bedroom, where he showed them his crib. Sakura giggled a little, and Naruto smiled indulgently.

"What? You sleep in there still?" Ino teased. Naruto took on a serious look.

"Yup. I transform into a baby, just to make it authentic." He said, and that caused both girls to pause. He didn't look like he was joking. Then, his teasing grin flashed onto his face.

"Gotcha." He laughed, and they laughed along.

"So…you're a Special Jonin now. Congrats." Ino said, and Naruto grinned widely. "Thanks." He replied. He led them to the living room, where he let them sit on the red velvet couch in front of the TV. He sat on the floor in front of them, completely content, and grinned widely.

"So, Ino…how's Choji? Been on any dates with him lately?" He teased. Ino blushed.

"Yes, thank you very much. Yesterday night we ate at Yakoniku. He loves that place." Ino said. Naruto laughed. "I know. Every time I used to see him, he'd be eating there."

Ino smiled, and then Naruto's smile faded. "I miss back then." He said softly. Sakura gave Ino a wry smile. "We all do."

Ino nodded. "Yeah, but at least you're back, Naruto. It's almost like old times."

Naruto added bitterly, "But without Sasuke." Both girls blinked in surprise.

"Well…to be honest, it's nice to not be around him." Ino admitted. Sakura nodded.

"I'm glad that he left, actually. Once he was gone, my eyes were opened to other guys…kinder guys. Like Choji. I'm not saying that I'm glad he's gone all evil…" Ino said, as Naruto's eyes locked on her.

"I'm just saying…that if none of that had happened back then, I'd be stuck a Sasuke Fan Girl forever." She snorted derisively at the thought.

"You know…you were more annoying as a Sasuke Fan Girl." Naruto laughed, and Ino smirked. "Yeah, well now I'm a Choji Fan Girl." She retorted.

"Well I'm a Fourth Fan Girl." Sakura teased, winking at Ino. Ino laughed, and Naruto suddenly bolted to his feet.

"Hey! That reminds me!" He half-shouted, and Sakura flinched at his volume. He added a bit quieter, "Sorry. I'll be right back."

He dashed into his bedroom, shut the door, and they heard a bunch of movement coming from behind the closed door. "What's he doing?" Sakura asked, curious.

Ino grinned. "I don't know…but I think it's gonna be good. He had that prankster look in his eyes." Ino didn't like to admit it, but sometimes she had found Naruto's pranks amusing when they were younger, and had wished she had been able to pull some of them off herself.

"Okay! Now, prepare to be amazed!" Naruto cried, and flung the door open. He strode out, his face completely serious. Sakura froze, and Ino gasped. He was wearing another, stainless, trench coat of his father's. The same, which meant he had to have spares, and he was wearing his father's old clothing. He wore the black headband, the black ninja sandal boots, and then the most shocking fact hit Sakura.

"Naruto! Your whiskers!" She gasped. His whiskers weren't there anymore. His face was smooth, unblemished, and she felt faint. He looked exactly like his father, with his unruly hair and his wide blue eyes. His face was serious, like every picture she had ever seen of the Fourth, and in his hand, he held one of the three-pronged Kunai.

Naruto spoke, altering his voice to match his father's (he memorized how his father had sounded when he first opened the apartment.) at least halfway decently. "Good evening, Sakura Haruno…Ino Yamanaka. Welcome to my home."

Ino squealed, "No way!"

Sakura blinked. "A Henge?" She whispered, and tried to dispel any illusions Naruto was using. There was no difference. Naruto stood there, whiskerless and a playful grin on his face.

Ino got serious as she noticed Sakura failing to dispel any illusions. "What happened? Where are your whisker marks?" Ino asked, standing and crossing the room to get close to Naruto. Naruto dropped his grin.

"Uh…I found some of my mom's old makeup." He admitted, and Ino fell to the floor laughing. "YOU'RE WEARING YOUR MOM'S MAKEUP?!" She squealed, and Sakura joined her. Naruto pouted.

"Whatever! It'll help, don't you think? If any Ninja go against me, who would dare attack me once they failed to detect or dispel any illusions? The Yellow Flash was the highest threat in the last Ninja War. Konoha became one of the strongest Nations because of him." Naruto defended himself strongly, and Sakura stopped her giggles.

"Forgive me, Naruto…it's just…you're wearing makeup!" She choked out, stopping the giggles that threatened to emerge again. Naruto pouted.

"Whatever. I should have just said it's an advanced Genjutsu." He muttered. "I bet if I just went out on the streets and picked up some girl who thought I was hot, she wouldn't be able to tell. Hell, she probably wouldn't even care." Naruto muttered, crossing his arms and looking away. He didn't notice that Sakura and Ino stopped laughing immediately, and Ino and Sakura exchanged a loaded look. Sakura looked insecure suddenly, and bit her lower lip. Naruto continued to ramble, not noticing. "This is makeup that sticks, regardless of sweat. My mom didn't wear much makeup at all, but she didn't go out, even on a mission, without at least a base on. This makeup won't wash off unless you really scrub though…"

"Hey…I need to…go find Shikamaru!" Ino said suddenly. "I forgot, Asuma-sensei needed him for an errand!"

Sakura shot Ino a grateful look, and Naruto frowned slightly. "Oh…okay. Tell Shikamaru and everyone else to stop by if they ever want to…" He said, and Ino gave him a reassuring smile.

"No problem. But you might get tired of people dropping by. I have a feeling this is going to be a popular place with everyone soon enough." She laughed, and then excused herself. She shot Sakura a meaningful glance, and then left. When the door shut, Sakura stood awkwardly and walked over to Naruto. He gave her a questioning look, but stayed silent. They stood a few feet from each other, Sakura looking awkwardly at the floor, until Naruto couldn't take it.

"What's up?" He asked cautiously. She bet that right then, he had tuned into her emotions and felt the sudden conflict.

"I…you…" Sakura tried to say, but stopped and sighed. She looked up, looking a bit embarrassed. "You wouldn't really, go out…just if maybe, we fought or something, right?"

Naruto looked absolutely confused. "What?" He asked. Sakura groaned and put her face in her hands. She spoke though her hands, her voice muffled, to attempt to reduce her embarrassment. "If we ever got in a fight or something or you got mad or felt I didn't appreciate you enough…you wouldn't just go out on the street and find some girl who thought you were hot…would you?" She whispered.

Suddenly, faster than she realized, his arms were around her. "What? No!" He held her tight against him, and he was swaying slightly. "Really?" Sakura asked, wincing at her sudden insecurity. There were so many girls prettier than she was, who would be all over him in seconds…just because he was smoking hot.

"Of course not!" Naruto protested, and captured her chin in his fingers. He gently forced her to look up at him, though she attempted to resist, and locked his eyes with hers. "You are all I want. If we fought or anything…the worst thing I'd do is lock myself in my room and mope." He murmured, attempting to lighten the mood. She looked away, fighting tears. Would he? Or would he go for a girl who was so much prettier than she was?

"Damn it. I'm sorry, Sakura. I wasn't thinking when I said it. It just came out, and I didn't even mean it." Naruto said. His eyes were sincere as he tried to convince her, but she couldn't get rid of the gnawing doubt. He was the Fourth Hokage's son, an amazingly strong and handsome young man…and a Special Jonin now. He was hot, and she knew that if he went outside this minute, he would have at least ten girls start drooling after him.

She saw his eyes harden, and then he let go of her. He took a step back, and she flinched. What was wrong? Had she offended him? He untied his headband, let it drop to the floor, and then dropped his father's trench coat from his shoulders onto the floor. He scrubbed the makeup off his face, turning his cheeks red from the force, and then she blinked.

"Get it through your head. You are all I want. If I hadn't wanted you, I would have been with dozens of girls through the years, when I was with Jiraiya. Do you know how many nights I spent, thinking about you, unable to sleep because I wasn't sure if I got back alive I could get you to love me?" He asked, and Sakura shook her head. He took a step towards her, grabbing her in his arms and hugging her.

"I spent so many nights unable to sleep…I can't count them. At least a third of the time I was supposed to be sleeping…I wasn't." He whispered. She whispered, "But why? I've never deserved you, and there are so many girls out there prettier than me."

Naruto blinked, dumbfounded. "No there aren't. You're prettier than any girl I've ever seen. You're perfect…so beautiful, so wonderful…" He murmured, and then murmured, "And right now…you're all mine. I would never give up on you, even if you wanted Sasuke instead of me."

She flinched at the memory of her dream, the one she had the day he came back. The one where Sasuke and Naruto had been on a platform, with Orochimaru standing between them…swords at their necks and demanding Sakura choose one or the other. Naruto stroked her cheek, and she looked into his eyes. She saw the sudden uncertainty in his eyes, and she knew he was questioning if she was having second thoughts about him. She laid her head against his chest, and whispered, "I could never want anyone but you."

"Then you know how I feel." He replied, and he ran a hand through her pink hair. He smelled her shampoo, felt the soft silk of her pink locks…and smiled. "You can't know how much I'd do for you, Sakura. If you wanted me to leave Konoha, I'd do it." He murmured, and she froze.

"But that would mean you'd be giving up your dream to be Hokage." She whispered, looking up at him. His face was completely composed, and he gave one short nod. "I know. But I'd do it if you told me to."

She couldn't help herself. She leaned up and kissed him on the lips, fierce at first, and then slowly. She couldn't believe she had not only probably the most powerful ninja in Konoha, but the truest, handsomest, and kindest man as well…wrapped around her finger. She felt his hot tongue trace the outside of her lips, and she complied. She reached her hands up, wrapping one around his neck and fisting one in his hair. She hitched one leg up around his hip, and leaned against him. One of his arms wrapped around her waist to hold her against his hard, hot body…and she opened her mouth slightly to allow his tongue entrance. Their tongues danced slowly, exotically, in her mouth, caressing and feeling each other.

They broke apart to breath, and she was flushed with the heat from her own body as well as his. His left hand stroked her hair, and he looked down at her with partially glazed eyes. "Sakura…" He murmured, practically purring her name. She shivered, and then whispered, "Naruto…" but then his lips captured hers again. His warm, soft lips pressed against hers, moving with perfect synchrony, and she moaned deep in her throat. He was intoxicating, mind-numbing…and all hers. She grinned at the thought, and then she forgot how to breath when his mouth went from her lips to her jaw line.

He planted warm kisses along her jaw, and then down her neck. She breathed in a ragged breath and mashed her body hard into his, and he groaned and suckled on her neck. She pressed his face against the soft, sensitive skin of her neck…eager for more of the electric feeling of his mouth against her skin. His attentions on her neck seemed to start a fire, a smoldering yet extremely pleasing heat, in her belly. She screwed her eyes shut and leaned her head on his shoulder, and then moaned as he switched hands and put his left around her waist…and moved his right up to her neck. He pulled the collar of her shirt down and away from her neck, exposing part of her shoulder, and he trailed kisses down her exposed skin. Her mind went blank at the amazing feeling of his suckling kisses on her skin, and she lost her breath. It was so good…she never wanted it to end!

Suddenly, a knock came from the doorway. Naruto didn't stop, much to her enjoyment, but murmured, "I should get that."

She replied by tightening her grip on him, holding him firmly at her neck. The person knocked again, and she whispered, "Don't."

He groaned. "It's Tsunade." But then he nipped her neck, and she gasped and arched her back so their bodies were pushed even harder together. Had her eyes been open, they would have rolled into the back of her head from the sensory overload. He finally grunted, and then she heard the front door open. "Hello?" Naruto's voice said, and Sakura smiled at his brilliance. A shadow clone.

"Can I come in, Naruto?" Tsunade asked. The Naruto seemed hesitant, but Sakura only barely kept tabs on it as Naruto ravished her neck.

"Um…I'm kinda busy…" He mumbled, and then Naruto and Sakura heard the 'poof' as the shadow clone detonated. Naruto growled as he pulled away from Sakura, but maneuvered her so he held her at his side. She opened her eyes, dazed and disappointed at his stopping, and attempted to compose herself. Tsunade came through the door, glaring.

"I'm the damn Hokage…the least you could do is let me in." She grumbled, and then froze. She took in the sight of Naruto's especially messy hair, Sakura's slightly spaced out look, and their rumpled clothes…and raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh." She said, and Naruto gave her a pointed look. Tsunade coughed and hastily said, "Well, I came by to compensate you for your apartment. Jiraiya explained everything…and you at least deserve compensation." Her gaze darkened considerably. "At least that much." She repeated, and Naruto shrugged.

"It's fine, Baa-chan. It's not like my stuff was worth much. Besides, I have this apartment, and I don't have to pay rent for this because no one owns this complex anymore. And on top of that, I have enough money, and my parents had a small fortune invested. I'm fine." Naruto said.

Tsunade nodded. "I know…but it's either financial compensation…or I hire the Inuzuka's trackers to find the bastards who did this." She said, and Naruto raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Find them if you want…but I won't press any charges." He said, and Tsunade smirked. "I know. But _I_ will." She replied.

Naruto shook his head. "Fine, fine. Go ahead and find them…the fear they feel will be the payment for their..." He trailed off, glaring slightly as the thoughts of his burned pictures sprang to mind. Sakura stroked his back soothingly, and he re-gathered his thoughts.

"Anyway…if that's all…" He trailed off, casting a quick glance at Sakura. Tsunade snorted. "No, that's not all, brat."

Naruto sighed, a martyred expression appearing on his face. "What then?" He asked.

A vein throbbed on Tsunade's forehead, but she held her anger in check. "I came to tell you, that Jiraiya said he's successfully planted a spy in Orochimaru's ranks. Within the next two days…he'll have Sasuke's location." She said, and Naruto stiffened. Sakura froze as well, and then blinked and looked up at Naruto for his reaction.

His eyes were wide, shocked, and his muscles were all clenched. He looked like a Mannequin…and Sakura wondered if he was even breathing. Tsunade looked on, concerned, as well…and finally Naruto breathed, "Sasuke."

Sakura moved her hands to clasp his free left hand, and she held his hand tight. He whispered, "Whenever we get word…I'll be ready. I just need to read some of my father's jutsu…" He said, and was about to turn and walk away before he seemed to realize Sakura was holding onto him. He shook his head, turned back, and Tsunade gave him a strange look.

"Naruto…I'll be assigning a team to assist with his retrieval…but I can only recommend them. You, the Special Jonin…will have to choose your team. Can you do it?" Tsunade asked, her voice hard.

"I can…and I will." Naruto promised, and Sakura felt his hands ball into fists. She soothingly stroked his hands and arms while Tsunade nodded and said, "Good. I'll have Shizune send you the files."

Tsunade's gaze softened. "Now I'm done...and I'll see you later. I need to round up a few Inuzuka's." She said, and turned and left. Naruto stood there, still as stone, looking straight ahead. Sakura looked up at him, worried, and ran her right hand up his arm and to his shoulder. She gently stroked his broad shoulder, until Naruto blinked rapidly and then looked down at her.

"Are you okay?" She murmured softly, concerned. Naruto didn't answer for a moment, and she read the uncertainty in his eyes. She reached up from his shoulder to his face, and gently stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. He reached up and caught her hand, gently holding it and pressing it against his face while closing his eyes.

"I will be." He finally replied, and Sakura nodded.

"Are _you_ okay?" He murmured, opening his blue eyes and staring down at her with concern. Sakura nodded. "Yes…I'm fine. I'm excited." She whispered, and gave Naruto a half-smile. "I can't wait to bring Sasuke back." She said, and gave him an embarrassed smile. She knew that she couldn't be as excited as him.

Naruto smiled. "I know."

He wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning down slightly and burying his head in her neck. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and felt his warm breath tickle the sensitive skin of her neck…and almost giggled. He murmured, "As excited as I am…I'm more worried than anything else."

She gently stroked the back of his neck, and she felt him shiver. "Why?" She asked.

"Because, if your vision is true and within the next two days it comes true. instead of coming true later on in life…you're going to be immobilized. I know you're going to want to go, and I don't want you to. I know you're strong, but you're not on my level…and I'm betting Sasuke's on his older brother's level by now. I swear, if Sasuke touches you…" His voice trailed off, and she felt his grip around her tighten slightly…but not unpleasantly so.

"I'll be fine." She reassured him. She was sure of it. Neither Sasuke nor Naruto would ever hurt her. Well, Sasuke had that once when he knocked her out so he could escape Konoha…but he hadn't REALLY hurt her. Sasuke might immobilize her painlessly, or he could bind her…but she didn't think he'd go so far as to physically harm her to immobilize her.

"When Sasuke and I fight, because I know we will…I don't want you to participate." He said softly, surprising her. She pulled away, hurt by his request.

"Why not? I'm strong enough! I dealt with Sasori well enough, and he's probably on a higher level than Sasuke!" She asked, angry.

He gave her a tortured look. "Sasuke's probably stronger than even him. I'll bet you anything that Orochimaru taught Sasuke a bunch of Forbidden Jutsu, and has fed Sasuke a bunch of Jutsu for his Sharingan to copy. He'll be tough, Sakura…and if he has a sword, he'll be even harder. The last battle Sasuke and I had, the damage to the surrounding area was massive…and it'll be bigger this time. If one of us were to miss our target, and fire off a big or strong enough Jutsu and it hit you…" He trailed off and looked away. "It'd kill me." He choked out.

Her anger melted right then, and she felt tears sting her eyes. "I know we're Shinobi, I know it was our decision to run the risk of dying…but I can't stand the thought of what might happen. I can't live without you…and I can't risk you in such a large-scale battle between Sasuke and I." He whispered, his voice breaking several times in strange places.

"Naruto…please don't ask me to sit out. I want to help you, that's the reason I've grown stronger! So I can help you bring Sasuke back!" She pleaded. He looked at her with the most pained expression she had seen since Naruto first saw Gaara's corpse a few days ago. She saw the internal battle he fought, fighting between the need for her to be safe…and the need she felt, just as he did, to attempt to save Sasuke. He was silent for almost a minute before he finally responded.

"Fine. But if things get out of your league and you know it…you have to promise me you'll pull out." He said, his eyes boring into her. She could see how much it hurt him, the thought of her being there while they fought…and risking her life. She threw her arms around him and whispered, "I promise. If it gets too bad, I'll drop out." She repeated, and he sighed. He held her tight against her chest, and she felt the desperation behind the gesture. He was so afraid to lose anyone else, especially her, so much more than ever because of the Gaara incident. She opened her heart, sought for his, and felt the pounding waves of his emotions. She could feel the fear dominating all the other emotions: Hope, joy, slight anger…all of it was completely overshadowed by the fear for her he felt. She cut off the contact, and held him tight. "Nothing bad will happen to me. I can feel it." She whispered, and he only held her tighter…as if he could protect her here and now from whatever dangers and threats were aimed at her in the future.

"I wish I could believe that." He murmured, and nuzzled her neck. She sighed as he held her, a little put off with how much he doubted Sasuke. But then she remembered, Sasuke had been so obsessed with gaining power and going to Orochimaru that he had almost killed Naruto. Maybe Naruto's concern was warranted…

"Either way…I'll be safe with you there." She murmured, and he chuckled slightly…his voice sounding strained despite his attempt at levity. "Yeah...safer than safe. If I have to, I'll guard you with five hundred Shadow clones." He joked. She smiled, and stroked his back. "Hm. I don't know if I could put up with five hundred knuckleheads at once." She teased, and he laughed.

"Ouch. That's a low blow." He said, and she smirked and kissed his neck. "Aw…I'm sorry. If you want, I can kiss you and make it all better…" She said suggestively, and he grinned mischievously.

"Hehe…don't tempt me." He said, trying to pull away. She had a better idea, and pushed him backwards…so he fell onto the couch that was now behind him. She followed him down, landing on him gently, and looked down at him with a smirk. "Hm…I think it's too late." She whispered, and leaned down and kissed him. She squeaked with surprise as he threw his arms around her, and then spun them so he was on top. She laughed, but was silenced by a passionate kiss. He spoke into their kiss, "Yup. Waaay too late."

________________________________________________________________

okay, lol. I had to end it with some Fluff for you addicts. ;) So whaddaya think? Lemme know! Thanks for all your reviews, support, and overall amazingness! :D

So, as a author's post-story note…I'm curious. What is my story ranked among your favorites? Is it in your top two, five, ten, twenty? Let me know!


	14. Chapter 14

Lost in the Green Seas

Chapter 14

**A/N:** Many thanks to all you reviewers! I'm pleased that you're pleased with this story! For the one reviewer who said that my story was beyond ridiculous (in reply to chapter one) I'm hurt. :( seriously. It's…disheartening to say the least. TO EXPLAIN MYSELF: The reason I had Naruto not defend himself, was because he didn't want to hurt them. Even with his Shadow Clone Jutsu, to stop the crowd he would have to apply force, and someone would be hurt. *sigh* I am disheartened that he thought my story was crap. :'( So, those of you who don't think that, please enjoy this next chapter. I put A LOT of thought into it. I hope you enjoy it, and thank you all who support me.

**For those of you who wonder what my updating schedule is: I honestly don't have much of one. BUT! I will make one. Every two to three weeks (due to college courses and work) I'll update…but I won't always just update with ONE chapter. :) I might surprise you with a few in a row! But still. Every two to three weeks is my new updating schedule!**

**_THANKS TO kabata4life for the Typo information! I apologize, for the misspelling of Yugito's name! I got mixed up. Oops. THanks again, Kabata!!!_**

_Tap, tap, tap, tap_. The slow, patient sound of a lone person wandering the hall, echoed down the empty corridor. The corridor was dark, though a few torches lit the grey stone area at uneven intervals, and it was damp slightly. The lone figure walked down the long expanse of stone hallway without faltering in their pace…until they reached a large set of solid wooden double doors. The person stood in the shadows, in front of the large doors. The doors were at least three times larger than they were…and on the door were ornate carvings of coiled snakes.

The doors opened without any signs of effort from the lone figure…swinging inward. The room that the doors had shielded before, was now laid open for the figure to see. Their eyes didn't roam the room, however, but locked on the figure in the farthest reaches of the room.

This room was well-lit, obliterating almost every shadow. The room was a long rectangle, almost seventy yards long, and down the middle were giant columns that acted as a pathway to the man on the throne at the end of the room. Bronze snakes, rearing straight up with bowls full of fire resting in their open mouths, lined the path to the throne as well. There were three people visible in the room: The man on the throne, a man wearing glasses at his right hand…and a female scientist wearing a white lab coat bowing in front of the man on the throne.

The lone figure entered the room, walking just as slowly as before, and advanced towards the throne. Their black sandal boots, black pants, soft purple Sound rope belt, open-chested white long sleeved shirt….and ivory skin was revealed by the firelight. The person's left hand rested casually on the long black sword handle and sheath tucked into their rope belt. Their black bangs hung slightly in their narrow face, but didn't obscure their black eyes.

"Sasuke-kun…I expected you to come earlier." The man on the throne greeted, his raspy voice chuckling. Sasuke didn't flinch, or even react visibly. His face was as smooth and emotionless as if he were carved from stone. He continued to advance, and Orochimaru continued to talk.

"Were you disappointed? I'm sorry…but we've had a little mishap here in Grass Country." He prattled on, gesturing carelessly. Kabuto smirked at his right hand, pushing his glasses higher onto the bridge of his nose, but the scientist kneeling in front of the throne didn't move. Sasuke continued forward.

Suddenly, four blurs converged on Sasuke, who didn't even bat an eyelash. The four blurs were sent flying back, while Sasuke never even broke his pace. It looked like he hadn't even moved except for his walking. His left hand still hung casually on the sword handle.

The four bodies hit the floor around Sasuke, revealing four masked ninja. They were wearing the traditional Sound Garb, as they had back in the Invasion of the Leaf. Blood suddenly erupted from their chests, sword-slash wounds suddenly appearing all over their bodies, but Sasuke continued on.

"Marvelous, as always, Sasuke-kun!" Orochimaru praised, laughing and applauding. Sasuke favored the man with a slight arch in his left eyebrow. "Last week I was able to track your progress when you moved…but you've finally been able to surpass even my discernment!" Orochimaru praised, rising from his throne. He stepped around the scientist in front of him and descended the four steps that led up to his bronze throne.

Sasuke spoke when he was twenty feet from Orochimaru. "We're leaving Grass Country." He stated, though it was obviously a question. Sasuke didn't ask questions usually…just demanded clarification.

Orochimaru inclined his head. "Yes. We've stayed here far too long. We had…an incident with a Leaf Anbu. He found the base, and we killed him. But, they'll know we're in Grass Country, so it's time to leave." He said, and turned and ascended to the throne once more.

"Which base are we headed to?" Sasuke asked, his eyes bored as he watched the Snake Sannin ascend the stairs.

"The border between Sound and Leaf. The one where we started all those years ago." Orochimaru said, waving his hand carelessly. He sat on his throne, facing Sasuke once more. Sasuke didn't react visible.

"We'll be passing the Valley of the End." Sasuke stated. Orochimaru nodded, and shrugged. "Yes. If you wish, we can go around…" He said, but Sasuke turned and started to leave.

"I will be stopping there, before we move on to the base." Sasuke said, and Orochimaru called, "As you wish…Sasuke-kun." Then, Sasuke was gone. The large wooden doors slammed shut behind him.

"Orochimaru-sama…are you so certain that it's wise to stop so close to Konoha?" Kabuto asked, looking at the Snake Sannin. Orochimaru's lips were tugged up into a smug smile.

"Why not? I might as well allow him a simple thing before I take his body." Orochimaru said, and Kabuto shrugged.

"It's just that…Naruto." He said, his sentence not making much sense.

"Yes…the Kyuubi brat." Orochimaru said, frowning. "My old Teammate has brought him back to Konoha…but I don't think we'll run into him. Either way, Sasuke-kun wouldn't go back…and the Fox Brat couldn't bring Sasuke back by force, no matter how much my old perverted teammate attempted to improve him."

Kabuto inclined his head. "As you wish…Orochimaru-sama. I will go back to organizing the preparations." Kabuto turned and left, leaving only Orochimaru and the female scientist kneeling in front of him.

"Now…you said you had some…advancements in the field of applying the Curse Mark?" Orochimaru hissed. The scientist looked up, her long black hair pulled back into a bun to keep it out of her eyes…and nodded. Her ice-blue eyes pierced the sickly yellow-green of Orochimaru's…but she showed no fear.

"Yes. I believe we've upped the survival rate to one in four." She said.

"Excellent…" Orochimaru hissed, and his gaze darkened. "Excellent."

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Naruto shut the apartment door behind him, and slipped on his green Special Jonin vest. He zipped it up, and rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. This would take a while to get used to. He crossed the hallway to the open metal door which led to the broken stairwell. He leapt down the shaft, straight down the middle, and plummeted down to the floor level. He landed easily, absorbing the impact without any trouble. He straightened from his crouch, and sighed. He strode through the hallway, easily avoiding the debris, and was about to exit the building…when he saw someone standing in the exit.

"Naruto." Kakashi greeted, and Naruto grinned. He ran out, and greeted his team leader.

"Oi, Kakashi-sensei!" He called, grinning as he stepped into the sunlight. Kakashi smiled, his lone eye curving upwards.

"Hello, Special-Jonin." Kakashi replied. Naruto jerked a thumb to his chest and smirked.

"Yup! I can't believe it!" He exclaimed, and did a dance. Kakashi laughed.

"I came along to request to be put on your team. Tsunade said she didn't put my file in, on accident…and I was eager to get a spot." Kakashi said, and Naruto's child-like joy died. Naruto's face took on a serious look, and he nodded.

"Okay. You're in." Naruto said, and Kakashi gave Naruto a thumbs-up.

"I have a favor to ask, actually…Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said, and Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Really? What favor?" Kakashi asked, and Naruto turned and started to walk. Kakashi followed, staying by Naruto's side.

"Well…I need to know if you ever saw my dad use the Hiraishin with your Sharingan, first off." Naruto said, scratching his head. Kakashi looked at Naruto out of the corner of his eye, smiling. Naruto looked so much like his father, especially wearing his father's old clothes, the green vest…all that was added was the whisker-marks.

"Yes." Kakashi answered. "I saw it a grand total of three times with my Sharingan." Kakashi said.

"Well…I need your help to perfect it then. My father wrote down the secret to the Hiraishin…and I need you to help me out with it. I also have several other ideas, thanks to my dad, and I need to perfect them before I face Sasuke." Naruto said, his voice soft. They turned down a populated main street, and glided through the crowds easily.

Kakashi was silent for a while. "Okay. I'll help. But I have a condition." Kakashi finally said.

"What's the condition?" Naruto asked warily, glancing at his teacher.

Kakashi locked his gaze with Naruto's. "That you let me take on Kabuto during the mission." Naruto's step faltered, but he quickly composed himself.

"Are you sure, Kakashi-sensei? I've seen Kabuto in action. He's just as good as Tsunade." Naruto warned. Kakashi nodded. "I'm sure."

"Okay then. He's all yours." Naruto replied, and Kakashi sighed.

"Great. So…where are we going?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto looked at his teacher. "To tell Tsunade my choice for a team."

Kakashi tilted his head slightly. "Oh goody. We're off to see the Wizard." Kakashi mumbled.

"What?" Naruto asked, and Kakashi sighed, "Nothing. You should really expand your movie knowledge." Naruto shrugged in response, and they kept walking. Naruto noticed that he was receiving a lot of stares…but not all of them were hostile. As a matter of fact, very few were hostile. Most were shocked, disbelieving. He looked from side to side uncomfortably as the civilians pointed and whispered.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" He grouched. Kakashi laughed.

"No. I think they're finally noticing how much you resemble your father." Kakashi replied, and Naruto snorted. "About time."

"Whatever. It took you how many years before you were told?" Kakashi fired back. Naruto stuck out his tongue at Kakashi, and didn't bother to answer. He noticed a bunch of surly men grouped together off to the side, glaring. They were all hairy, large…and Naruto would bet illiterate. He tried not to look at them, and he ignored a jibe one sent at him.

"Hey, Brat…trying to play dress up?" One roared. Kakashi and Naruto kept walking.

"All you're doing is insulting our Hokage's memory!" Another roared, and Naruto clenched his hands into fists as he kept walking. 'Don't snap. Don't snap. Don't snap.'

"Oh, shut up you bunch of drunks! Get your asses off the street in front of my store, quit pestering the boy, and go get a job!" A shopkeeper yelled, emerging from his store. Naruto turned, surprised as someone defended him, and watched. The group of men, five strong, turned and glared at the shopkeeper.

"Shuddup. We don't have to move…there ain't no law that says we can't sit in front of a store." One growled. The others moved to surround the shopkeeper, who cowered and went back into his store. The men, encouraged now, turned and one fired off, "Hey, demon-spawn…answer us! Why're you tryin' to play dress up?" Naruto could feel Kakashi's eyes on him, and mindfully kept his mouth shut. He turned, and went back to walking.

"Get back here!" They yelled. Naruto could hear them follow him, walking towards them. Naruto didn't stop, but kept walking. He ignored them as they harassed him for nearly a block, until one of them made a grave mistake.

"Hey, where's your whore?"

Naruto froze, and Kakashi instantly stopped as well. He turned to look at Naruto, whose jaw was clamped so tight Kakashi was afraid Naruto might hurt himself. The group of men continued, glad to get a reaction out of Naruto finally.

"Yeah! I'd like to know that myself! Maybe she'll be a cheap one!" One roared, and his friends laughed. Naruto shook, trying to hold his anger in check. He attempted to start walking again, and managed to take a step before the men yelled again.

"She must be a real retard, or some reject, to be with you!" They jeered. Naruto took another step, straining to keep himself in check.

"That, or you must pay a lot for such a cheap little whore!" They roared in laughter, and that was the final straw.

Naruto utilized all of the speed he had attained over the past few years, and used all the new strength of his muscles…which made him blur almost into invisibility when he moved. He darted through the crowd, and was in the middle of the group of men before they could blink. He smashed one's nose up into his head with the heel of his hand, spun and delivered a roundhouse kick to one's jaw, continued his spin but lowered himself so he tripped two more. He rose from his spin-kick, punched the last goon in the stomach, and then used an uppercut to drop the man. He kicked on fallen man in the groin viciously, and then spat on him.

The crowd around him just now registered what had taken place, though it had all happened in less than three seconds. They cried in surprise and backed away, creating a large clear area around the scene. They all gasped, pointed, and murmured as Naruto stood in the center of the moaning men. Naruto reached down, grabbed one that he had tripped, and fisted his hands in the chest of the man's shirt. He lifted him, which surprised Naruto because the man was pretty big, to a sitting position and got right in his face.

"You can insult me all you want. Call me names, ridicule me, or just sit there and glare. I don't care. But if you _ever_ insult Sakura again…" He paused, and his lip curled back over his teeth. "I. WILL. KILL. YOU." He accentuated each word by shaking the man. The man cowered, blubbering, and Naruto roughly pushed him back onto the ground.

Naruto straightened, brushed himself off, and then turned and walked away. He rejoined Kakashi, passing through the shocked crowd easily, and nodded at his teacher. "Let's get going. We still need to see Tsunade." He said, and Kakashi nodded. They continued on their way, headed towards the Hokage tower. Kakashi hoped he wouldn't have to write up any paperwork…

**********************

"Naruto…come on in." Tsunade said, as Shizune ushered him and Kakashi in. Sakura turned, surprised, as she put away a file in a cabinet off to the side of Tsunade's office. Naruto and Kakashi advanced to the front of Tsunade's desk, and Tsunade raised an eyebrow at Naruto's garb.

"Naruto." Sakura said happily, going to stand beside Tsunade…as was her position.

"Sakura." Naruto replied, smiling. Just the sight of her…he fought to remember how to formulate a whole sentence.

"Naruto…is that blood on your sleeve?" Tsunade asked, and Naruto froze. Sakura's eyes darted to his right sleeve as well, and Naruto stammered, "U-um…uh…" Kakashi rolled his eyes at Naruto's eloquent response.

"What happened?" Sakura asked, her worried eyes darting to Kakashi for an explanation.

"Naruto had a run-in with a few villagers." Kakashi said, and Tsunade frowned.

"Are you okay, Naruto?" Sakura asked, stepping out from behind Tsunade's desk and stepping to Naruto's side.

"I'm fine, Sakura-chan." He said, reaching up with his left hand and stroking the side of her face soothingly. "I'm not talking about _now_, now that your healing has taken care of things…what did they do?" She asked firmly, and Kakashi saw the brewing storm building between Sakura and Tsunade.

"They didn't even nick me. I'm fine." Naruto reassured her, stroking her face again.

"Then why the blood?" Tsunade asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Well...Kakashi and I were on our way here when five big dumb brutes started to insult me. I was fine, and ignored them…but they followed me and harassed me. I planned on ignoring them…" He sent an apologetic look to Tsunade, "But then they insulted Sakura."

His gaze darkened at the memory of the words that the men had used. "I broke one's nose, so the blood-spray must have landed on my sleeve." Naruto said.

"The men are fine, well…the one with the broken nose might have his nose lodged in his brain, so I'm not sure about him actually. But still, the other four are fine." Kakashi reassured Tsunade.

"Naruto…I'm surprised at you." Tsunade said, pursing her lips. Naruto winced.

"I know. I'm sorry. I lost my temper, and it won't happen again." Naruto said, but Tsunade laughed.

"No. It's just that I'm surprised you actually stood up to a civilian for once. Usually you let the civilians walk all over you…and I have to say that if they _followed_ you down the streets and harassed you, you were justified in what you did. I actually approve." Tsunade said. Sakura laughed at Naruto's dumbfounded expression.

"Sakura…you were valiantly championed. You would have been proud." Kakashi laughed. "Five men down in less than three seconds." Kakashi reported, chuckling.

Sakura gave Naruto a smile, and raised her hand to his face. She stroked his cheek softly, and murmured, "Thanks, stud." She teased. Naruto smirked.

Tsunade coughed loudly. "You two are on duty." She reminded them, and Naruto laughed.

"What…can't stomach it?" Naruto teased. Tsunade glared. "Shut up, Gaki." She grumbled, and Naruto stepped back from Sakura. Sakura returned to her spot beside Tsunade, a wistful expression on her face.

"Don't worry. We'll continue where we left off last night once we're 'off duty'." Naruto said to her, winking. Sakura blushed and looked at the floor, while Kakashi's lone eye shot open so wide it looked like a plate. Tsunade's jaw dropped and she screeched, "WHAT?!"

Suddenly, Naruto found himself against the far wall, Tsunade pinning him with one hand, and her right fist pulled back and ready to pummel him. "YOU DID WHAT?!" She screeched, and Naruto whimpered, "Your face is scary!"

"We didn't really do anything!" Sakura called, wincing as Tsunade buried her fist into the wall beside Naruto's head. Sakura added, "Kind of."

"What do you mean?" Tsunade hissed, her eyes narrowing.

"Well…we just…" Sakura attempted to say it, but the thought of admitting it to her sensei, the Hokage…and the fact that Kakashi was in the room was too embarrassing.

"They made out a lot. Did you notice something off about Sakura? She's placed a low-level genjutsu on the skin of her shoulders and neck." Kakashi stated, blushing pervily.

Tsunade gasped, "You gave her hickies?"

Naruto was too pale to blush at the moment, but he nodded. "Y-yes." He admitted. Tsunade glared and pointed a finger at him. "You're lucky that's all. If I ever hear of you taking advantage of Sakura…" She left the threat unfinished, letting his imagination take care of it. Naruto turned whiter than a ghost.

"Relax. He's got this abnormal self control." Sakura grumbled.

Tsunade rounded on her. "YOU tried to get him to go further?" She demanded. Sakura nodded meekly, blushing.

"But he wouldn't. He says that he wants to wait until we're both sixteen at the least." Sakura mumbled.

"Well…that's smart, I suppose. That's legal marriage age." Tsunade said slowly, casting Naruto a suspicious glance. "Fine. I trust Naruto. But you, Sakura…I'm keeping an eye on you." She said, and then walked back behind her desk. Kakashi dutifully helped his comrade back to the front of the desk, and had to help hold him up.

"So…what did you need?" Tsunade asked, back to business. Kakashi almost sweat-dropped at her quick return to normalcy.

Naruto shook his head, returning back to normal just as quickly. Kakashi stared disbelievingly at him. "Well, I came to return the files. I've chosen my team." Naruto said firmly. Tsunade nodded. "Good."

Naruto pulled out a scroll, unfurled it and wiped blood across large black scribbles on the paper. The scroll disappeared, and in its place stood a stack of thirty files. He placed the files dutifully, if not wobbly, on Tsunade's desk.

Tsunade looked around them at Naruto with an arched eyebrow. "So who did you choose to come with you?" She asked.

"Kakashi, Neji, Shikamaru, Kiba, Choji, Shino…" He paused, seeming to struggle with the next words. "And…Sakura." He finally said, though Tsunade could tell that all he wanted to do was leave her behind…keep her from danger.

"Reasons?" Tsunade asked with an amused smile. She was testing him, he knew.

"Kakashi has experience, the Sharingan, and can cover all mediums of attack. Stealth, close-range, long-range, medium-range, distractions…he's got it all thanks to his Sharingan." Naruto said, and then began to rattle off the rest.

"Neji, because he's a deadly hand-to-hand fighter. I'm sure that if Orochimaru's goons, or maybe if Sasuke has bodyguards, Neji can help take them out quickly. Plus, he's a good watch with his Byakugan.

"I want Shikamaru because he's a freakin' genius." Naruto teased, and then went on, "And I want him because I have several purposes for him. To possibly trap Sasuke by attacking his blind-spot, being able to take out multiple opponents easily, and he can tell me the odds of survival before we attack. He can help me make decisions." Tsunade nodded approvingly at his reasons so far.

"I want Kiba, because he'll be perfect for detecting scents and being our advance scouts. He's an Inuzuka…and I'll need him or another Inuzuka to be our advance scout." Naruto said. "That…and I haven't seen the blockhead in forever." He laughed, trying to downplay his decisions. He felt the danger of becoming serious approach, and he hated it. He didn't want everything to be sapped of fun so early in the day.

"As for Choji, his expansion Jutsu could be perfect for fending off a large amount of attackers. I think Orochimaru's going to guard Sasuke pretty well with his goons, so I'm definitely going to need Choji's expansion Jutsu's. Though, if I have to, I'm going to order that he not use his pills." Naruto finished gravely. He felt responsible, even more than Shikamaru, for Choji's near-death so many years ago. It had been his fault…for not being strong enough to take all the Sound Four out. Tsunade arched an eyebrow at his statement in surprise, but didn't comment on it.

"And Shino…Shino's bugs can come in handy. He could help me attack Sasuke, drain Sasuke of Chakra…and it'd be an easier fight. I read his standard attacks and Jutsu, and I think he'd be perfect for this. It's a pity we couldn't have used him so many years ago…" Naruto murmured, contemplating what could have happened the first time they tried to rescue Sasuke. He broke away from the thought.

"And Sakura…because she wants to go. She'll beat me if I don't let her." He said flatly, and Sakura glared at him. Tsunade laughed. "But let me guess…you'd rather leave her behind?" She asked.

Naruto sent a wary glance at Sakura, watching in case she decided to nail him with a punch, and nodded. "Yes. It's going to be dangerous with Sasuke. Which is why I'm bringing all the heavy-hitters I can. But, Sakura's not on Sasuke's or my level. She could get seriously hurt…"

"Too bad. She's going. She'll be your medic." Tsunade said, and Naruto sighed. "I was planning on bringing her for that reason as well. Though, she needs to stay away from the combat situations as much as possible…"

"Relax, Naruto. Tsunade taught me to learn attack patterns, so I can avoid attacks. I won't weigh you down. Trust me." Sakura said. She could see the worry eating away at Naruto, and she didn't like him worrying about her. If he had to fight Sasuke while worrying about her…he'd get seriously hurt.

Naruto nodded, and Sakura saw him erect his smiling mask to hide his emotions from everyone. "Okay. Well…that's my choice. Will they be ready to go at a moment's notice?" Naruto asked. Tsunade nodded. "Yes. I'll send each of them a coded message immediately." She pulled out a blank scroll from a drawer in her desk, and pulled out an ink bottle and a pen.

Naruto bowed, and then turned. "Kakashi-sensei and I are going to practicing for when the time comes." He didn't say what they knew, because it was hard for him. How could he say, 'For when Sasuke refuses to come home.'?

"Good luck." Tsunade said, and set about writing on the scroll. Naruto left, Kakashi following him, and Sakura turned to her sensei.

"Tsunade-sama…" Sakura began hesitantly. Tsunade looked up from the scroll, arching an eyebrow.

"Naruto…I don't think he'll be able to capture Sasuke-kun." Sakura said, accidentally slipping into her old form of talking about Sasuke. Tsunade's eyes narrowed at Sakura's statement, and the addition of the '-kun' on the end of Sasuke's name.

"What makes you think that?" Tsunade asked. Sakura looked away. "It's the feeling I get, after seeing my vision, that Sasuke's going to win. I think you're going to want a team of medics to stand by…Shizune included." She replied.

"You believe it's going to be that bad?" Tsunade asked quietly. Sakura nodded once. She didn't tell Tsunade about the vision she had last night…after she had left Naruto's house.

_(Flashback/Vision)_

_Naruto was floating on his back, in the water of the lake, blood seeping from two separate holes. He was floating, Sakura guessed, only by unconscious Chakra manipulation. He was almost submerged, however. Sakura couldn't believe what she was seeing, as Sasuke stood over Naruto's fallen form. In the right shoulder, in the left shoulder as well…were two holes caused by Chidori. Sasuke held up his sword handle, frowning at the shattered remains of his blade, and dropped it. It sunk beneath the red-tinted water's surface with a '_plunk_'._

"_Dobe. I told you, you never stood a chance." Sasuke said, seeming emotionless. But Sakura saw it. She could see the single tear escaping the Uchiha's left eye, though he was trying to hide it by keeping the left side of his face turned away._

"_D…Damnit…" Naruto gasped, and Sakura flinched at the amount of blood leaking from his body. What was more alarming…was that there was no visible healing. The holes weren't healing at all, which mean that there was something dangerously wrong._

"_It's your fault. You shouldn't have come. Everyone shouldn't have. And it was foolish of you not to allow them to interfere." Sasuke gestured around grandly. Sakura moved her head, looking away from the bloody site. Kakashi, Kiba and Akamaru, Choji, Shikamaru, Neji, and Shino were all standing on the cliff-sides. They were all visibly seething in rage, but they didn't seem to be able to jump Sasuke as they wished they could. Sakura saw they were all scuffed, from battle no doubt, but none were wounded seriously at all._

"_I…can…still…" Naruto coughed out, and attempted to sit up. Sasuke sneered and slammed his right foot down on Naruto's chest. Naruto cried out as he was pushed back beneath the water, then Sasuke removed his foot._

"_DAMN YOU!" Neji cried out, and Sakura looked up. His hands were curled into fists, and he looked like he would spring at Sasuke. The veins around his eyes were bulging, thanks to his active Byakugan, and his glare made him look demonic. Akamaru, at Kiba's side, growled and his hackles raised. Kiba seemed on the verge of attacking Sasuke._

_Naruto floated back to the surface, on his back still, spluttering. "Come back…you're strong enough to kill him…" Naruto gasped._

"_I know I am. I heard you were strong enough to kill an imitation of him. So if you're strong enough to do that, I'm definitely strong enough to kill him. But I won't go back to Konoha. It's not my home." Sasuke said, his remorse and sadness gone. All that was left…was the cold ice that seemed to sprout from his heart._

"_Please…" Naruto begged, his cerulean eyes pleading. Sakura wiped away her tears, able to move, as she saw the pathetic sight. She yearned to go to Naruto, to start healing him…but she knew Sasuke wouldn't allow it._

"_Sorry…but no. I still have a few things left to do with Orochimaru." Sasuke said, and turned away._

"_Sakura…if you come with me…I'll let him live." Sasuke said, his back to them all. Sakura gasped, at the ridiculous offer. But suddenly, she heard the sound of thousands of birds chirping._

_Sasuke was kneeling next to Naruto, faster than she could comprehend how he moved, his right fist cocked back. It was glowing blue, sparking as he fueled Chidori. He held it above Naruto's head, though Naruto didn't flinch. He stared at the Chidori, his face blank._

"_I won't lie. I missed you over the years." Sasuke said, his face struggling to hide emotions that she read easily. He was lonely…he wanted a companion._

"_Then let Naruto go. Come back with us." She pled, but she knew he wouldn't._

"_Come with me, or Naruto dies…" Sasuke said. She saw the cold anger in his face, the look that said as much as he wished he wasn't doing this…he wouldn't do anything any different._

"_Please…" Sakura choked out. Sasuke seemed surprised as he read her face, read the emotions in her eyes._

_Sasuke looked down at Naruto, his face contorted. "So you finally made her see your feelings? Swept her off her feet?" He sneered. Naruto's teary eyes locked with Sasuke's cold black eyes…and the blonde choked out, "Bastard."_

"_Naruto…she was mine from the start…didn't you know that?" Sasuke asked softly, but Sakura was sure everyone could hear._

_Sakura took a step forward. "Naruto…so you can live…" She started, but she was surprised when Naruto moved. He submerged, rolling backwards so his feet flipped back. He kicked Sasuke in the face, and knocked Sasuke's hand away. Sasuke staggered backwards, stumbling, as Naruto rocketed to the surface, now standing on his feet. His arms hung useless at his sides, but his eyes glared feral red._

"_Don't…" He snarled, and Sakura felt the killer intent he directed at Sasuke. It made her knees weak, even if it wasn't directed at her._

"_Ever…" He took a step towards Sasuke, whose three-comma Sharingan activated. Sasuke flinched at something none of them could see._

"_Try…" He took another step, and Sasuke stepped backwards one step._

"_To take…" Another step towards Sasuke, and Sasuke took another step backwards. Fear was plain on the Uchiha's face, which was shocking in itself. Sasuke never openly showed fear. Surprise every once in a while, sure. But NEVER fear._

"_MY SAKURA!" Naruto screamed, and Sasuke stumbled backwards as a surge of power blasted out from Naruto. Sakura cried out in surprise, and threw her arms over her face._

_(End Vision/Flashback)_

"Sakura?" Tsunade called, and Sakura blinked. She looked around, and saw Tsunade giving her a concerned look from behind her desk.

"I'm fine. I just…zoned out." Sakura lied. She fought to keep her trembling under control. Even the memory of the vision was intense…too intense.

"Okay…" Tsunade said, unconvinced. "Go get some fresh air." She ordered, and turned back to writing the coded message to the team designated by Naruto.

She bowed to her sensei, and left the room. She traveled through the hallways, heading upwards to the roof, and openly trembled now that no one was around. She was so afraid…afraid not for herself, but…for Sasuke. She stopped, frozen as she realized the thought. She looked down at her left hand, and saw that her hand was frozen in a position that seemed as if she was fidgeting with a ring on her ring finger. She felt suddenly disgusted with herself.

She shouldn't be afraid for Sasuke. He chose his path, and he deserved whatever would happen to him. He obviously had no qualms about stabbing Naruto twice with Chidori, and then threatening to do so again…so he deserved to feel the fear of whatever he saw with his Sharingan. But still…

She started walking again, and before she realized it…she was on the roof of the Hokage tower. She stared out over Konoha, and walked to the railing. She should be afraid for Naruto…especially with how he wasn't healing…but she felt more fear for Sasuke. She flushed with shame, and sighed.

"I have Naruto…isn't that enough?" She whispered to herself. "I shouldn't feel anything for Sasuke-kun." She winced at the name. "Sasuke." She forced herself to say it.

A voice came from behind her, and made her jump. "Did you know…a demon is one of the most selfish creatures in the known world?"

She stifled a gasp, but spun and slipped into a defensive crouch. Naruto was standing there, not staring at her. He was staring away, his body facing her but his head looking away to his right. She straightened from the crouch, as the sudden guilt clawed at her belly. She felt…afraid.

"But, a demon, when it comes to his mate…that's the only thing he'd give his life for. His mate, or his kits." Naruto continued. He wasn't looking at her still. She could see the hard mask he put on, hiding whatever he was feeling. She attempted to reach out for his emotions, but froze when she realized that she couldn't feel him.

"Naruto?" She asked, her voice breaking. What was going on?

"Even the Fox would give his life if he had a mate. He freely admits that." Naruto murmured, and then he looked down at the ground…still keeping his head turned from Sakura. She took a step forward, but froze when Kakashi appeared.

"Naruto! You did it!" He gasped, panting. Sakura raised her eyebrows, surprised, and Kakashi realized Sakura was there and jerked in surprise.

"Oh." He said, and Sakura examined Naruto. In his right hand, clenched tightly…was the three-pronged kunai with a formula written on the handle.

"I felt your turmoil. I didn't think…I just acted, and I used the Hiraishin to come back here." Naruto said softly.

Sakura gasped. "You can use the Hiraishin?" She whispered, and Naruto nodded once. Kakashi backed away. "Naruto…when you're ready to start our training again, come to the training grounds." He said, and disappeared. Sakura blushed. He had left training with Kakashi, preparing to fight Sasuke, so he could be with her and see if she was okay. He must have heard her talking to herself…hence the sudden wall between them.

"I don't know what to say…" Sakura started to say, but Naruto's head snapped up. He looked at her, and the intensity of the look froze her. There was so much pain.

He trembled, and she heard the sound of metal protesting as it was squeezed with inhuman strength. His right hand flew open, and the three-pronged kunai hit the roof. She glanced at it, and saw with shock…his hand imprint in the cloth-wrapped, formula written, handle.

"Naruto…" She tried again, but suddenly, she found herself pushed against the railing. Naruto had moved faster than she had been able to comprehend, and had grabbed her gently yet firmly by the shoulders and moved her back against the railing. He was pressed against her, their forms melding together, and his face was an inch from hers. His eyes were a deep, dark, blue…and she read into them. There was a lot of pain, as she saw before…but also an emotion she couldn't quite read.

"Do you love him?" Naruto whispered, and the pain in his voice made her lip quiver. She kept hurting him…after he was already in so much pain.

She fought to keep her voice even as she answered, "No."

Naruto released her suddenly, as if touching her burned him, and backed away. "Lies." He said, his voice suddenly calm. "I can feel what you feel when you think of him."

Sakura blushed and looked away. "I don't want to feel what I feel." She whispered. "I don't even know why I feel that way. I was fine…until I had a vision last night."

Naruto froze. He had been about to start pacing, she could tell from her peripheral vision, but he was suddenly stiller than an ice-sculpture. "A vision." He stated carefully, and she nodded. She still didn't look at him. She examined the railing underneath her left hand intently.

"You had two Chidori holes in you." She choked out, and closed her eyes. "Sasuke told me if I came with him, he'd let you live. I could tell…" She whispered, knowing he could hear her perfectly.

"Sasuke was lonely. Very lonely. I wouldn't have gone…but he was about to put a third Chidori through you…straight into your head." She said, looking at him suddenly…pleading for him to understand.

"You…are going to go with him?" He asked, and suddenly he wasn't calm, or compose. He was wounded, confused…fragile.

"I was going to...in order to keep you alive. But…" She said hastily, and took a step towards him. The look of pain on his face was unbearable to her. He flinched at her approach, and she saw his legs shaking.

"But?" He choked out.

"But you got up." She whispered, and Naruto looked at her, his eyes searching her face for any hint of lies. "You stood up, and something about you was scaring Sasuke. He was openly scared." She whispered, but his expression didn't change. She could still see the pain.

"Either way…something about Sasuke…he seemed so lonely when he offered for me to go with him. He wanted a companion. He wanted…someone for him." She whispered, and Naruto's face fell.

"Then go to him." He choked out, and turned to leave.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried, and crossed the gap between them. She wrapped her arms around his torso, holding him. He was rigid, frozen.

"Please, don't." She whispered. "I hate how I feel. I wish I didn't feel the way I did about Sasuke, please believe that! I want to love only you!" She stated, tears welling up.

His body relaxed a bit. "What would you do to get rid of your feelings for him?" He asked. Suddenly…it was deathly quiet. His words seemed to hold a promise of something…of a solution.

"Anything." She whispered, knowing it was true. She would do anything to just love Naruto. Naruto was truly all she wanted. She didn't want to feel how she did for Sasuke…but she did anyway. If there was a way to get rid of those feelings, she'd do it. She leaned her head away, embarrassed slightly at the tear-stains on the back of his green vest, but looked up at the back of his head…waiting.

"Even…being marked as my mate?" He murmured. This time…she was the one to freeze. If she had thought it was silent before, she had been wrong. Now the silence between them was deafening…not even the sound of birds or of chatter from the streets of Konoha reached her ears.

She remembered his statement from a few days ago, back at the hotel in Suna. Back, when he was explaining how she could feel his emotions. _'The last way, is a bite, usually on the neck. It brands, marks, the female for the rest of her life as the mate of that demon. That mark does many things, marking her off-limits. It leaves a psychological impression on others that she's taken, it changes her appearance or power slightly to match that of her mate…and it makes them bonded for life.'_ Naruto's voice echoed in her head as she remembered.

She shivered. To be marked, and changed, by a demon's host…no, by _Naruto_, was…strange and difficult to comprehend. And, on top of that, being bonded for life, being his mate…basically being his _wife_ forever…was a big step. And then, the fact that her appearance or power might be changed slightly to match that of her mate…

"We'd be bonded for life? No more feelings for Sasuke?" She whispered.

"Yes. We'd be together…forever." He murmured. She felt his hands take hers, unwrap her grip from him, and he held them still as he turned to her. He held their hands between them, and she saw the seriousness of his gaze. He was completely, absolutely dead serious about this.

"Would it be painful?" She asked, momentarily unsure. If it would hurt…she would still do it, but she wanted warning.

Naruto cocked his head, and his gaze grew distant for a second. "Kyuubi says he doesn't know for sure about humans…but the female demons suffered only the physical pain of the bite on their necks." He said, and then his eyes snapped back into focus. "He says it's actually pleasurable after the pain…like a…urk!" Naruto blushed, and looked away. "No way. I'm not saying that." He said, Sakura assumed he was talking to the Kyuubi, and Sakura felt an overwhelming curiosity.

"What?" She asked, and he blushed a deeper red.

He mumbled an answer, and she didn't catch it. "Like what?" She asked again, and he mumbled it a bit louder. She sighed. "Louder please?" She asked, and he swallowed noisily.

"Like…an…orgasm." He choked out, and Sakura's face immediately burned dark red in embarrassment. She looked away and murmured, "Oh."

They were still holding hands, but she desperately wanted to hide in a hole. She had asked to know, though…so she couldn't complain.

"Perverted Idiot Fox." Naruto mumbled. They were both looking the opposite direction, too embarrassed to look at each other. Sakura knew it was foolish to be so embarrassed. They were both teenagers, but had lived 'adult' lives since they became Ninja. They both knew bodily functions, they had to in order to know specific poison functions, etc…but still. It was different, saying and hearing the word spoken by someone who wasn't a doctor or an instructor. Instructors often related euphoric feelings from certain drugs and poisons to use on targets, to the feeling of orgasmic pleasure sometimes, but…it was so much more different in an intimate setting like this. Between…her and her boyfriend, if it was indeed what they were.

"So, only the pain of the bite?" She whispered, still not looking at him.

"Yeah. He's sure that's the only pain." He said, and she saw in her peripherals that he was looking at her now.

"He also says that I don't have to bite your neck. When I bite you, a mark will appear…so if you don't want it somewhere visible, it could be anywhere else." He murmured.

"Let's do it." She suddenly said, turning to look at him. "Right on my neck." She murmured, swallowing nervously.

Naruto smiled softly, his eyes warm. "Are you sure?" He murmured.

"I'm yours. Always. This just makes it official." She answered, and clenched her jaw as he drew her to him in an embrace. She wrapped her arms under his arms and around his upper body…preparing for the pain.

His left hand wandered to her lower back, where it stopped, and his right hand moved up to her neck. He peeled away the collar of her shirt, and pushed some of her hair away as well. She rested her head on his chest, screwing her eyes shut, and trembled in anticipation.

"Relax." He murmured, and she felt his warm breath caress the skin of her neck. She did as he said, and he planted delicate, soft kisses, on her neck. The electric feeling of his lips on her soft skin made her heart accelerate, and her blood pounded in her ears. She felt him suckle on the side of her neck, a few inches beneath the lobe of her left ear, and she shivered. His hot breath caressed the skin of her neck, and his soft suckling on her neck made her shiver. She was embarrassed as he breath came out in sharp huffs, as if she were panting.

"My Sakura…" He murmured against her skin, and she moaned at the feeling of his mouth moving against her skin. She suddenly felt a tingling sensation coming from his lips, and she recognized it as the feel of Chakra. Then…she felt the tips of his teeth gently press against her skin. She pressed her eyes tighter closed, and tightened her arms around him. She tried not to focus on the feel of his teeth pressing deeper into her skin, but instead the firmness of his body, the feel of his hands on the small of her back and on her shoulder…and his intoxicating and wild scent.

Then, she felt a sharp piercing pain in her neck, coming from where Naruto's sharpened top and bottom canines suddenly broke her skin. She gasped once, but then bit her lip to keep from crying out. It hurt little compared to the wounds she had received over the years, but this time it was on an area she had never been wounded before. A very sensitive area.

She felt him suckle on her neck, and the pain diminished. She felt a strange burning at the base of her belly, a smoldering heat that felt extremely pleasurable. Then, suddenly the fire spread to every inch of her body. Her mind suddenly went fuzzy, and she felt an amazing sense of pleasure throughout her body. She gasped, tightening her grip on Naruto as he continued to suck on her soft white skin. She began to shake at the burning, overloading pleasure, and panted out, "Naruto!"

Then, she suddenly felt as if she had separated from her body. Her eyes fluttered open, and she froze, her muscles tensed in a way that would have been uncomfortable if she hadn't been experiencing the overwhelming pleasure. She cried out loudly, "OH!" She was too shocked, too overwhelmed, to say anything more as she suddenly went over an invisible precipice of pleasure…and she almost passed out. She felt herself return to her body, and her muscles all unwound. His mouth separated from her neck, as he focused on holding her up. She felt like jelly, and went limp, as she trusted him to hold her up. She shook slightly, trembling from the intensity of what she had just experienced…and she slowly regained her senses. She felt…warm. Not just warm though. It was too difficult to describe. It was…perfect. That was the only word she had to describe what had happened.

She panted for a moment, basking in the fading glow of the pleasure she had just experienced. As the last traces of the pleasure ebbed from her body and mind…something else was found. It wasn't quite in her mind, but it also wasn't quite in her heart. It was…in her soul? She could feel Naruto's feelings, without stretching out to feel them. He was with her at all times now…and she could feel his immense satisfaction. His joy, satisfaction, slight worry at her well-being…and then the smug satisfaction of what had just taken place. It was like an additional sense she had gained, so now she had six senses.

"Are you okay?" He murmured, and as an answer, she managed to stand by herself. She could feel him…and she knew that was how she would never be able to feel anything for anyone else. She was sure he could feel her at all times, just as she could feel him, and she would never forget the intensity of the love she felt at the moment. He loved her so absolutely, so infinitely…it was almost impossible to comprehend. But now, she could feel it, and she was sure he could feel her feelings for him just as acutely.

"I'm…more than okay." She murmured, and took her head from against his shoulder. She looked up at him, feeling content, and kissed him on the lips. He kissed her back, chastely, and she took the hint. They were still in view of the public, if any passerby's happened to look up at the top of the Hokage tower. She separated her lips from his, and sighed. "That was…"

"Amazing? Fantastic? Overwhelmingly perfect?" He murmured huskily, making her shiver.

"That and more." She replied. She closed her eyes, reveling in the new feeling of his emotions inside of her without any effort on her part. He loved her so much…and she knew she made the right choice.

"Remove yourself from her, and step back." A voice rang out, and Naruto froze. She looked up at him, alarmed, as suddenly his grip around her body tightened…but not uncomfortably. She blinked, shocked at the sudden change of his eye color. His eyes were blazing red, feral, and his whisker marks quickly thickened. He spun and crouched slightly, placing his arms out to the sides to shield Sakura. Sakura looked over Naruto's shoulders, and saw two Anbu in strange masks. They weren't normal Anbu…she could tell that easily from first glance. They both had dragon masks, which were not in the Anbu mask collection or choice. And…they both had their Katana's out, pointing at Naruto.

"Step away from the girl, demon, or we will move you." One of them said. They were identical…except one had spiky blond hair similar to Naruto's that stuck out from behind his mask.

Naruto snarled, and she saw his muscles tense. "Come and make me." He grated out, his voice holding the quality that it did when he harnessed Kyuubi power.

Sakura blinked, as the Anbu slowly walked forward. "This is your last chance." The blonde said, his voice muffled by the mask. Sakura saw that right in front of them…was the three-pronged kunai. They stepped right past it, and she felt a sudden surge satisfaction from Naruto. He disappeared, and the Anbu both jerked in surprise. A yellow streak went from in front of Sakura, straight between them…and behind them. They turned in surprise, but quickly had a three-pronged kunai at each of their necks.

"The…Leaping Thunder God Jutsu!" One choked out.

"My father's creation…and now _my_ weapon: The Hiraishin." Naruto rasped. "Now drop your weapons."

They dropped their Katana's on the ground, and Sakura felt the iron resolve of Naruto through their newest link. "Why are you threatening him?" She asked suddenly, angry at the two Anbu for ruining hers and Naruto's moment.

The two Anbu remained silent, and kept their hands at their sides. "Sakura…get Tsunade." Naruto hissed, and then suddenly…both Anbu members fell to the ground. Naruto smirked, and she felt the smug satisfaction he felt. She blinked, confused.

"What…?" She asked, and he blinked several times. His eyes converted back to blue, and she felt relieved.

"I coated these two kunai with a knockout drug the other night.. The sleeping agent is in their bloodstream from tiny nicks…so they'll be out for a bit." He said, and holstered his two three-pronged kunai. He grabbed the Anbu members by the backs of their outfits, and hoisted them easily onto his shoulders. A Kage Bunshin Naruto suddenly popped into existence, and then leapt off the building.

"He's going to get Kakashi." Naruto explained, and Sakura nodded. She quickly retrieved the Anbu's swords, and then said softly, "Lets go."

Together, they quickly walked inside, and down the hallways towards the Hokage's office. They were silent, but they could feel each other's feelings easily. They were both unsettled by the sudden attack.

They both stopped in front of Tsunade's office, and Sakura opened it. Naruto strode in, but froze. Tsunade was glaring at a man who was standing across from her desk, trembling in anger. The man in question was wearing a formal cloak, like an elder, and had wrapped bandages covering most of his head, but stray tufts of black hair stuck out in odd places.

"Naruto? What's the meaning of this?" Tsunade asked, annoyed, until she saw that Naruto had two Anbu slung over his shoulders. Naruto tossed them on the ground roughly, and said stiffly, "I was attacked."

"Those masks…" Tsunade murmured, and then looked at the man who still had his back to Naruto.

"Damnit Danzo! What the hell are you planning?" She roared, rounding on the man. The man didn't even flinch, but said, "There's a perfectly rational explanation for this."

"You better damn well tell it! You just assault Minato Namikaze's son!" She roared, and Danzo visibly flinched.

"What?" He gasped, still not turning around.

"That's right. I, Naruto Uzumaki…am the son of Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of Konoha." Naruto said. The Man turned, revealing a scarred, aging face with lots of lines and stubbly beard, and his mouth open in shock.

"You?" Naruto asked, gasping and taking a step backwards. Danzo's eyes widened, and he choked out, "You!"

"Okay…somebody tell me what the hell is going on." Tsunade demanded, and Naruto suddenly exploded forward in range. He slammed the man into the wall, fisting his hands in the man's robes, and bared his teeth.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried, springing to his side.

"YOU!" Naruto snarled, and Sakura froze as Naruto's emotions hit her like a brick wall. There was anger beyond the human level, along with sorrow and disbelief.

Tsunade stormed over, and ripped Naruto from Danzo, though Naruto flew away with fists full of cloth. "Contain yourselves, or I'll call Anbu in!" She roared, as Naruto landed spryly on his feet and lowered into an attack crouch.

Danzo was pale, and stammered, "H-how could you be Minato's son?" He gasped, and Naruto snarled, "What, you can't think of making a sacrifice for the village you love? I was his!"

"ENOUGH!" Tsunade roared, and stomped on the floor. A miniature crater was created, and that stopped both men.

"Danzo, if you even attempt to move, I will have you killed or restrained!" Tsunade snapped, addressing the older man.

She swiveled her head and barked an order to Naruto. "Contain yourself this moment, or I swear I'll call Anbu in to restrain you." Her voice was much softer and kinder to Naruto, however, than to Danzo.

Naruto straightened from his crouch, and Sakura ran to his side. She buried her head in his shoulder, feeling the strange chaotic flow of his emotions, and whispered, "Control yourself."

Naruto calmed almost immediately, much to everyone's surprise, and nodded. "I'm fine." He said, and Tsunade frowned in surprise.

"Good. Now explain to me what the hell you two have against each other!" Tsunade ordered, and Naruto cast a frosty glare at Danzo.

"He killed my friend, Yugito…the Jinchuriki host to the Nibi, the two-tailed lightning cat demon." Naruto said, staring at Danzo and emitting as much killing intent as he could. "He killed her…half a year ago."

___________________________________

DUM DUM DUM!!!! Lol. Okay, here's the next chappy! YAY! I know that in the series, Nagato isn't dead. Yet. Hidan and Kakuzu kill and capture her, but I'm separating from the story line on this one! Yay me! ;) Please review, and let me know what you thought of this chapter!

AND! I know a lot of you want a lemon. I feel kind of uncomfortable writing a sexually explicit scene…but this is as close as I'll get…FOR NOW. If a lot of you demand it, I might work something in. First let me know what you thought of this chapter though!

And I know that Danzo was an 'elder' type guy, who knew of Naruto's heritage. BUT, in this story, I'm making Danzo only an ex-ANBU head director. He knew Naruto had the demon sealed inside of him, but didn't know Minato was his father. So there. :) lol. I thought I'd better explain before I got flamed horribly for it. But now that Danzo is an elder, not only does he NOT know of Naruto's heritage…apparently he's caused the death of one of Naruto's friends! (GASP!)

What does Danzo have to do with Nagato's death, and what will happen between the Kyuubi Jinchuriki and the Elder? Tune in next time to find out!


	15. Chapter 15

Lost in the Green Seas

Chapter 15

**A/N:** Thanks for all of your reviews! Also thanks to ______________ for suggesting the red highlights. I was actually thinking of making her have a large red streak in her front bangs, like Rogue off X-Men has the large white streak in her bangs. Multiple streaks sound/look better…so thanks for the idea!

This Chapter's gonna be a BIT lengthy. Sorry about that…honestly, but I didn't feel like cutting it into two.

PREVIOUSLY:

"_Now explain to me what the hell you two have against each other!" Tsunade ordered, and Naruto cast a frosty glare at Danzo._

"_He killed my friend, Yugito…the Jinchuriki host to the Nibi, the two-tailed lightning cat demon." Naruto said, staring at Danzo and emitting as much killing intent as he could. "He killed her…half a year ago."_

THE CONTINUATION:

Sakura looked back and forth, standing at her Master's side, between Naruto and the man named Danzo. Danzo was standing with his back to the wall, wincing at the amount of killing intent that the blond was directing at him. Tsunade cleared her throat, and Naruto stopped. Danzo cleared his own throat, straightening his torn robes, and faced Tsunade.

"I can explain that." He said, and Tsunade gave him a look that Sakura knew well. It said, _'You better damn well tell me, or I'll hit you so hard you'll go back in time and see yourself being born.'_.

"Sit, Danzo. You better explain what the hell you had Naruto attacked for, first. Then, you'll explain to me how and why you killed a Jinchuriki from another nation." Tsunade growled, and Danzo inclined his head. His tone was mocking, however, as he said, "Of course, Princess Tsunade." He crossed the floor, ignoring Naruto, and sat in a chair in front of Tsunade's desk. Naruto's lip curled as he eyed the old man, and then he walked to another free chair and pulled it as far as he could away from Danzo and sat in it.

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, and refused to look at Danzo. Tsunade sighed as she went to her desk, sat in her chair, and glared at Danzo. "Sakura, go sit with Naruto…make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." She said, and Sakura nodded. She crossed the floor, but when she reached Naruto's side, her head suddenly started to spin. She lost her balance, tripped on one of the limbs of the unconscious Anbu on the ground, and fell forward.

She found herself in Naruto's arms, and she blinked in surprise. He lifted her up, carrying her bridal style, and murmured, "Are you okay?"

She blinked, trying to clear her head. "Just a little dizzy." She whispered, and he nodded. He went back to the chair, ignoring Danzo's suddenly intent gaze, and sat down with Sakura on his lap. She had her arms around his neck, while her head spun. "Sakura…are you sure you're okay?" Tsunade asked, her gaze worried. Sakura nodded, and her head cleared.

"Yes. I'm sure, Tsunade-sama. It was just a dizzy spell." Sakura reassured her sensei, and Tsunade nodded. Tsunade turned her attention to Danzo, clearing her throat to get his attention. His eyes turned to Tsunade, though they had been on Naruto and Sakura as if he was seeing light after being in a dark place for a year. Naruto's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Explain." Tsunade said, obviously tired of saying it. Danzo inclined his head, a mocking smile on his lips.

"About nine months ago, my Root Anbu received word from one of my spy's in a neighboring country. Apparently, there was a civilian, who was in the Land of Lightning, reputed to be extremely powerful. My spy claimed the civilian was the Biju with Two Tails, the Nibi." Danzo said, and Tsunade's eyes narrowed.

"Why do you have spy's in another country? This is an era of peace, not war!" Tsunade demanded, her eyes flashing. Danzo's smile was gone.

"If you believe that we are in an era of peace, you are more foolish than your predecessor! He, at least, could see that slowly but surely…we're headed for yet another war!" Danzo snapped. Tsunade's eyes blazed in anger, but Danzo continued. "It was my job, _is _my job, to keep tabs on those things. Lightning is slowly but surely building its forces, and we all know that in the land of Lightning, the one thing they crave most is the Byakugan. Now, if I may continue?" He asked.

He didn't wait for an answer, but continued. "I went, along with four of my Root Anbu, and traveled their disguised as civilians. Needless to say…for nearly two months we searched for the Jinchuriki. She was a slippery one. Very wily." Danzo chuckled, and then continued. Naruto bit back a snarl, and Sakura stroked the side of his face to soothe him. Now wasn't the ideal time to lose his temper.

"We caught up to her finally in a town near the border of the Land of Lightning. Lo and Behold…she wasn't alone. She was fighting a certain blonde, claw and tooth and nail, while he tried to catch her." Danzo said. "We watched, as Jiraiya attempted to interfere, and was blasted backwards by a bolt of lightning. We were amazed at the power that poured off of the Jinchuriki…and even more amazed when the blond suddenly blasted twice the power she was. The girl cowered, and then the boy stopped. He befriended her…and we observed them for two weeks." Tsunade cast a glance at Naruto's face, and was surprised to see it blank. Sakura was stroking his face gently, and she wondered if she was responsible for keeping Naruto this calm.

Danzo continued spinning his tale. "We watched as the blonde boy and Lord Jiraiya both took the girl in, became quick friends…and we were stumped. Why would the Jinchuriki befriend them? Then we remembered something. Naruto Uzumaki was a Jinchuriki as well." Danzo said, and Naruto fought back the urge to call the man a liar. The thought probably hadn't ever left Danzo's head.

"Well, after two weeks, we decided that we would like to offer the Jinchuriki the chance to come to Konoha, and willingly work for us. We could use someone with her power." Danzo said conversationally. Naruto tensed, and Sakura felt his anger rising again.

"We approached her, and she fled. We gave chase, anxious to try to show her that we needed her. She turned on us, and killed two of my men." Danzo said, his voice suddenly ice-cold and hard. "She didn't bat an eyelash…just blasted them with a lightning bolt strong enough that it turned my men into dust." Danzo said, and then scoffed. "I told her to come with us willingly, or we'd take her by force. She got nasty…and then _he_ showed up."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she heard Danzo's tale continue. "He tried to fight us off, but we easily knocked him unconscious. It wasn't difficult, seeing as he was rash and plunged headfirst into danger. The female got even more ferocious when we knocked him unconscious…she wouldn't be controlled. She acted rather possessively, even for a Jinchuriki who found a friend." Danzo said, his tone suggestive as he sent a look at Naruto. Naruto fought the urge to jump across the room and claw the bastard's eyes out.

"But still…in the end, she killed the last two of my men. I made a difficult decision." Danzo said, attempting to sound sad but not quite pulling it off. "I killed her. It's better she be dead, than be in the control of the other land. It was a difficult choice to make, but I couldn't restrain her myself. And, no more than a half day's journey behind us there were Lightning spies on our tail. So, instead of allowing her to fall into enemy's hands…I killed her." Danzo said, his face taking on a look that Naruto assumed was supposed to be repentant.

"The boy woke, unfortunately, while I killed her. He charged me, and I was about to defend myself. Lord Jiraiya appeared and controlled the boy…and I left. Though, I graciously offered the boy a place in my organization before I left." Danzo finished, and shrugged.

Naruto spat, "More than that. You implied that I submit to you, and that I harness the Kyuubi's power for your use!" He almost stood, but Sakura was still on his lap. She whispered, "Naruto…calm down." Naruto cringed as her hands trailed around his shoulders and neck. His anger died almost instantly when he felt her gentle flesh trace against the bare skin of his neck, and it was replaced by a much more powerful feeling. Sakura blushed, but didn't comment on what she was feeling through their newest bond.

"You may have taken it as that, but that's your interpretation." Danzo said lightly, not fooling any of them.

"So you took the life of a civilian, in an attempt to keep her out of Lightning's hands?" Tsunade asked. Her eyes were hard, and Danzo nodded. "I couldn't let them get their hands on a Jinchuriki. There are nine in existence, well…_were_. Now I hear there are only six or so, depending on how many Akatsuki has captured." Danzo said. "We control the most powerful, and to get the others would only increase our chances of survival when the war finally starts. My guess, is that Orochimaru will start the war, and we won't have very many allies. So, we need as many Jinchuriki as possible."

"Good. Now that you've explained your history with Naruto…would you care to explain why two of your Root Anbu attacked Naruto and are currently lying unconscious on my office floor?" Tsunade asked, her voice deceivingly sweet. Sakura knew that Tsunade would punch Danzo if he gave her a reason.

Danzo winced. "That one, Princess Tsunade, is a little trickier to explain."

"Well do your best." Tsunade snapped. She glared, and Danzo shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Sakura stopped herself, she had been stroking Naruto's skin now without a reason. She blushed, and Naruto looked at her and smirked. But then, another dizzy spell hit her and she almost fell of his lap. He subtly stilled her, holding her tight, and she sat there, waiting for her head to clear.

While Danzo thought of how to explain, Sakura attempted to breath calmly. She had to close her eyes, the room was spinning so much. It took a few minutes for it to end this time, and Naruto watched her with worried eyes. By the time Danzo sufficiently thought of a reason, the dizziness had passed. Naruto stroked her back soothingly, while she re-gathered her wits.

"I was…worried about the boy." Danzo said, but Tsunade didn't buy it.

"Bullshit." Tsunade said, glaring.

"Okay. To be more precise, I was worried that he might do something foolish, endanger his life…and therefore making us lose any advantage we might have had against the other nations. I assigned two of my men to watch him, and to prevent him from doing anything foolish. That…and I told them that if he attempted to mark any females…to stop him." Danzo said, his eyes glinting.

"What? What do you mean, 'mark any females'?" Tsunade asked, glancing at Naruto. Naruto looked away, wincing. Shit.

"Ah, didn't think anyone else knew of it?" Danzo asked Naruto, smirking.

"No." Naruto admitted.

"Shut up and explain it to me." Tsunade growled.

"Jinchuriki can mark their mates, like demons. They bite them, and transfer some power to the female of their choice. Once that happens, they're bonded for life…and the female undergoes changes to match the power of her mate. The whole thing is rather strange, because it goes in three steps. The biting is the final step." Danzo said. Tsunade's gaze darted to Sakura, alarmed, and Sakura met her sensei's gaze head on.

"So, I assume my men stopped him from trying to mark you?" Danzo asked smugly.

She didn't answer, and Danzo laughed. "So they did! That would explain his temper! Did you have any idea what you were doing? You almost became completely bonded with him…for LIFE!"

Tsunade looked at Sakura disbelievingly as Danzo continued. "And you, boy, you didn't even tell her, did you? You just thought she'd make a good mate, and you tried to mark her!" Danzo accused.

Naruto snarled at the man, and Sakura got up from Naruto's lap. Naruto bolted to his feet, and Danzo slowly stood as well. "So, that accounts for you bad mood." Danzo chuckled, not intimidated by Naruto's animalistic snarl.

"Naruto…is this true? You tried to mark Sakura?" Tsunade asked. Her face didn't show positive or negative emotions…just confusion.

"I…I love her." Naruto choked out, looking at Tsunade pleadingly. "I really do. More than life, more than air…I _need_ her." He whispered, and Tsunade's gaze softened.

"Naruto…what were you thinking? You could have hurt her!" Tsunade admonished gently, making sure to be gentle with the tortured boy.

"It didn't hurt." Sakura said, raising her chin. "As a matter of fact, the only pain was when he bit me. And he did it gently." She said. Danzo's smug grin disappeared, and Tsunade's jaw dropped. Sakura continued.

"And…the pain is almost instantly washed away by…" She blushed. "A really intense pleasure." Tsunade's eyes popped open even wider, and Danzo gawked stupidly. Naruto winced at the sudden turn of events.

"I knew what I was getting myself into. Naruto explained it to me, when back in Suna we both started to feel each other's emotions. He told me that I had accidentally started the mating/marking process the first day he came back and his Chakra marked me. The second phase, he didn't want to dominate my thoughts like the demons did…so he did it in a human way. Then…the third phase…I wanted it." Sakura said. She willed herself to continue, fighting back the fear of Tsunade's reaction. "And…I can see now that I made the right choice. Naruto does love me…I can feel that right here." She patted her chest, and explained, "I can feel his emotions…and I've never felt anything so strong an amazing."

Tsunade's eyes slowly returned to normal size, and she closed her mouth. Naruto decided Sakura couldn't take all of the blame. "I was impatient…and I wanted her to be mine before I went to rescue Sasuke and took her with me. It was...rash, I know." He said, and looked at Danzo. "But she knew what she was getting in to. I explained it to her, and I even asked the fox if she would be in pain. I did my best to be gentle. I would never intentionally hurt her." He growled.

"You marked her? My men didn't stop you?" He choked.

Naruto cocked his head, and narrowed his eyes slightly. "What…are you afraid?" He asked, and grinned predatorily.

Danzo swallowed, and Tsunade choked, "So you've…marked her."

Naruto turned to her, and nodded. "Yeah. If you want…you can look for yourself. There'll be a mark on the left side of her neck."

Tsunade stood, and walked to Sakura's side. Sakura swallowed nervously and pulled back her collar and hair, and cocked her head so the skin of her neck was revealed. Tsunade examined her for a moment, and then whispered, "Sweet Kami."

On the left side of Sakura's neck, a few inches under her earlobe, there was a strange mark. It looked like three black swirls interconnected at their bases, wrapping around each other in a dizzying circle, and then with a jewel-shaped mark on the center, and then a jewel mark on each side of the swirling circle to make it resemble a compass. Tsunade touched it with a fingertip, and shivered as she suddenly felt a tingling on her finger from exposure to Chakra. And it wasn't Sakura's natural Chakra.

She took a step back, and swallowed. "That's quite the tattoo." She said lightly, and Sakura blinked. "Really?" She asked.

Naruto stepped over to Sakura's side. "Let me see." He said eagerly, and they almost forgot that the situation wasn't exactly 'fun' because of his flamboyant attitude. Naruto looked at her neck, and grinned. "Whoah. Pretty cool looking." He said, and Sakura tried not to laugh.

"Idiot." She breathed, and returned to her normal posture, dropping her hair and letting the collar obscure her mark. Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing in frustration.

"You just had to act without thinking, without consulting me!" She growled. Naruto snorted, "You wouldn't have approved."

"Of course I wouldn't have approved! YOU JUST BIT HER!" Tsunade yelled, dropping her hand from her face and glaring at Naruto. Naruto didn't flinch. "It was her decision, not yours." He said flatly.

Tsunade growled, "Don't test me, Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto looked at Danzo. "She won't work for you or your purposes, if that's what you're trying to think up." He said, and smirked at Danzo's visible anger. Sakura swayed on her feet suddenly, and Naruto spun and caught her before she fell.

"Sakura?" Tsunade asked, as Naruto set her down in the chair. Sakura held her head, trying to stop the spinning, and Naruto said, "The Kyuubi says that it might be a reaction to the change. He suggests that we take her to the hospital, so we can stay ready for any adverse reactions."

Tsunade growled, "Damn it, Naruto!" Then, she gathered Sakura up in her arms. Sakura winced as the room spun even more, and she whispered, "Wait…let Naruto take me."

Tsunade sighed, glaring at Naruto as she passed of her apprentice. Naruto gathered her safely in his arms, bridal style, and glared at Danzo. "I'm going to warn you once, and only once. Leave Sakura and me alone…or I'll come after you and there'll be nowhere you can hide." He said softly, and then he turned and left the office.

"I'll second his statement. Naruto will not join your organization, neither will Sakura. If I get wind of you trying anything, so help me I'll break every bone in your body." She threatened. Danzo inclined his head, not phased by the threats. "Of course, Princess Tsunade." He murmured, and then Tsunade made a few hand seals. She teleported, probably to beat Naruto to the Hospital, with a puff of smoke. Danzo quietly let himself out of the office, contemplating the newest turn of events, and left his two men unconscious on the floor.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Naruto was pissed. They wouldn't let him in the room, so he had to sit in a chair and wait for Tsunade to allow him in. He submerged himself in her emotions, feeling how she felt. She was comfortable, physically fine…but she wanted him to be with her as much as he wanted it himself. He sighed, and wondered what the hell Tsunade would be doing that was taking so long. Sakura wasn't in any danger, she was relatively fine…it's not like they were performing surgery on her.

'_**As far as mates go…I suppose you chose a fine one. Though, I might hold a grudge against her because she kept me from escaping that day you came back…'**_The Kyuubi said, though Naruto knew for a fact that the demon didn't actually hold a grudge. He had said so when Naruto asked about the whole 'marking' thing.

'_Maybe I shouldn't have marked her. What if there's an unseen complication?'_ Naruto worried, and the Kyuubi laughed.

'_**Please! She LOVED what you did to her. And, there won't be any complications. If anything, there might be some minor discomfort from alterations…but nothing painful.'**_ The Kyuubi said, and Naruto had the sudden distinct impression the Kyuubi was pleased with the whole turnout of events.

'_So, as far as alterations go…what can we expect?'_ Naruto asked. Naruto suddenly could see the Fox grinning in his cage, his face not evil or leering as it had been most times…but genuinely pleased.

'_**I'm not completely sure about everything that will change.'**_ The Kyuubi admitted. Before Naruto could protest, he continued. _**'But I suspect that her physical strength, though it's strong enough already, will be increased. She'll most likely have enhanced hearing, as you do, maybe even a heightened sense of smell. Judging from the dizziness, perhaps her vision will alter as well. And the best thing yet: her puny Chakra capacity will probably double. If not triple. Her capacity wasn't that good, even for a medic Ninja. Now, she'll have more Chakra. And, that coupled with her precision Chakra control…she'll be able to fend for herself quite nicely.'**_

Naruto frowned as he listened, and then abruptly stood. He walked over to the solid metal door, and rapped twice on it. Tsunade yelled, "Naruto Uzumaki, sit your ass down and be patient or so help me…I'll punch you so hard you'll fly all the way to Suna!"

Naruto sighed. "What's taking so long? It's not like she's undergoing surgery!"

"We're having a talk, so sit your ass down and wait!" Tsunade yelled back, and he huffed and walked back to the chairs. He sat down, and blinked in surprise.

Fresh memories popped into his head, and he frowned. About time. His Shadow Clone had just detonated, after having difficulty finding Kakashi at the training ground. Apparently, Kakashi had made the Shadow Clone come find him…just playing around to get Naruto riled up. Though, Kakashi hadn't realized it was a Shadow Clone. When the Shadow Clone caught up, it had informed Kakashi of the situation, and Kakashi had apologized for fooling around. Kakashi was on his way to the Hokage Tower now.

Naruto leaned back in the chair, idly twirling a three-pronged kunai, and cast a glance at a passing ninja nurse. She was about a few years older than him, with soft chestnut brown hair and pale skin…and she was staring at him in surprise. Naruto raised an eyebrow as he locked gazes with her, and she blushed and quickly walked away. _'Is it really so shocking at how much I look like my father? I suppose most people never suspected that the 'Kyuubi brat' could be the offspring of one of the greatest Ninja in the known world.'_ Naruto thought sourly. He formed a Shadow Clone without using seals, as it had become like second nature to him with how much he used it lately, and sent it off after Kakashi. He had to guide Kakashi to the Hospital.

His Shadow Clone formed a few Hand Seals, activating the Thunder Flicker Jutsu…and then disappeared in a streak of blue and green. Naruto raised an eyebrow. So, the streak of color depended on what clothes he was wearing. Interesting.

Finally, Tsunade opened the door. She raised an eyebrow as Naruto twirled the three-pronged Kunai. Naruto cast a quick glance around, making sure no one was looking, and tossed the Kunai past Tsunade. Tsunade flinched as it flew past her, and Naruto tried to consciously use the Hiraishin…when earlier he had done it without conscious will. He focused on the instructions his father had told him, feeling for the strange rift in the air that came from the dimensional formula on the handle of the Kunai. He felt it, with his mind as his father instructed, and it felt like an empty hole in the air in front of him. He stood, and stepped through it. He raised his hand, and caught the Kunai handle without opening his eyes. He heard Sakura's gasp, and knew he had succeeded. Now he just needed to work on doing it with his eyes open.

He opened his eyes and pocketed his kunai, and blinked. He was an inch from the furthest wall in the room, which meant he had taken a little too long to locate the feel of the passage in dimensions that the Hiraishin Kunai left. He frowned, and turned. He walked to Sakura's side, surprised to see her sitting in the hospital bed in a hospital gown, hooked up to several machines.

"What's with the machines? What's wrong?" He asked, and looked at Tsunade. She glared at him as she shut the door behind them. "Next time you do that, I'll pound you, twerp." Tsunade grumbled, hiding her surprise.

"What's wrong? Why all the machines?" Naruto repeated, his voice taking on a desperate edge. Sakura spoke, soothing him.

"Tsunade's just got me hooked up to monitors to keep tabs on my brain-waves and vitals…just so she can make sure she spots any problems." Sakura explained, and he sighed in relief. Sakura smiled at him, and he grinned back. "You're beautiful…even in the hospital gown." He complimented. She blushed, and pushed some hair away from her eyes.

"Thanks." She murmured, and he grinned. Tsunade cleared her throat.

"That's enough for now, Naruto. Now, I need to know what's going to happen to her so I can be prepared to watch for anything abnormal." Tsunade said, walking up to Naruto's side. Naruto blinked as the door flew open, and Kakashi strode in. His Shadow Clone walked in as well, waved and winked at Sakura…and then dispelled.

Kakashi panted, "He filled me in. Are you okay, Sakura?" He asked, shutting the door behind him. Sakura nodded.

"Yeah. These are just to keep tabs on everything." She said, gesturing to all the cords and monitors. Kakashi frowned slightly and nodded.

"Good." He said, and walked to Naruto's side. He patted him on the shoulder, reading into his young charge's eyes, and asked, "Are _you_ okay?"

Naruto thought about it for a second. He was worried. He was begging to realize, now that his imagination was providing him with images of what could happen, how bad things could turn out. He never should have marked her. He never should have proposed the stupid idea…and he should have thought it through more. "I'm fine." He lied, and he knew Kakashi saw through him by the way Kakashi's eye showed sadness. He squeezed Naruto's shoulder, reassuring, and nodded.

"So what can we expect to change in Sakura?" Kakashi asked.

"I was asking that when you barged in." Tsunade said, giving Kakashi a monumental glare. He laughed sheepishly. "Sorry. I was crossing a road when I saw an old lady," Naruto cut him off, "Yeah, we've heard that one. Try again."

Kakashi shrugged, and said, "Okay, okay. Just get on with it."

Naruto grinned for a moment. Then his smile died slowly. He took a breath, and said, "The Kyuubi thinks that her physical strength will be improved even more, she'll probably have enhanced hearing and smell like me…and maybe even her vision will be altered a bit. He's not sure about the appearance, or all of the physical changes. But…he's pretty sure her Chakra Capacity will double in size."

At the look on Tsunade's face, Naruto hastily added, "He said there shouldn't be too much pain. Maybe some minor discomfort…but not pain."

"Shouldn't?" Tsunade growled.

"Tsunade-sensei…with all due respect, leave him alone…_please_. He's worried enough about me as it is." Sakura said, casting a glance at Naruto. "I did this willingly, knowing there would be changes in me. I've taken worse…and almost all of the worse things were done by you while you trained me." She said to Tsunade, and Tsunade frowned.

"That was training. I was toughening you up!" Tsunade protested.

"That's what he's doing. He's making me tougher...think of it as an advanced Training." Sakura fired back.

Tsunade sighed. "Sakura…I'm worried about this. We have no records, no way to know how this will turn out!"

"Well, then I'll be the first. Start a file on this experience." Sakura said dryly. Naruto walked up to Sakura's side, and reached for her hand. He wrapped it in both of his and bent his head to it while raising it slightly. He kissed the back of her hand gently…repentantly.

"I…am sorry." He whispered, looking up at her. She gave him a soft smile, reaching up with her free left hand and stroking his face.

"I know. It's fine. I chose this, remember? It's not like I'll die from this…just some minor discomfort." She said lightly. Naruto closed his eyes and pressed his cheek against the back of her hand that he had kissed.

"Go on and train. You need to be ready." Sakura said firmly. Naruto nodded, and stepped back…laying her hand gently back on the bed. "I'm ready enough. I'll stay with you." He said, and went to pull up a chair.

Suddenly, Naruto found himself in a headlock. "Wha?" He choked, and he realized Kakashi had grabbed him and had jumped to a window. Kakashi threw the window open and waved cheerily at a shocked Tsunade and Sakura.

"We'll be back to check on you later, Sakura!" He called, and then leapt. Naruto flailed as they soared through the air, being held only by the arm around his neck, and squawked, "Kakashi-sensei! Let me down!"

Kakashi landed gently on a roof, keeping Naruto in a headlock, and said in a happy tone, "Only if you promise to train. Then, I'll let you go."

Naruto glared up at his teacher, who smiled cheerily right back down at him. "Fine. I'll train." He grumbled, and Kakashi let him go. Naruto massaged his neck, wincing.

"And on we go!" Kakashi called, as if nothing had happened. He sprang off in the direction of the Training Fields, and Naruto glared at his teacher's back. He sprang after the Jonin, grumbling the entire way.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Sakura lost track of time…she was too tired to watch the clock on the far wall, directly in front of her bed. But, at the same time, her mind was too active for her to sleep. So, she just laid there with her eyes closed. She was tired…so tired. There were no more dizzy spells, but her head was feeling weird. Honestly, it wasn't that bad. There was no pain, just like the Kyuubi and Naruto had said. There was just some discomfort, as if she was congested and there was buildup in her head.

She could feel Naruto, with that new sense she had gotten directly after Naruto bit her, and his emotions were a whirl. He was feeling worry. He was definitely still worried about her, which she found touching but useless. She had chosen this willingly, and now she was dealing with it. She found he was amused, she assumed that Kakashi was putting up a good fight or just being his amusing self, but she mainly felt Naruto's quiet fear. Because he was trying to hide it, to use other emotions to mask it, she was that much more in tune with it. She couldn't figure out what he was afraid of. He was worried about her, but he shouldn't be afraid. He couldn't be afraid of Kakashi. So…she had no idea what he could be afraid of.

Why should he be afraid? He was stronger than even the average Shinobi, which was strong. He had more muscle mass now that the transformation had happened back in Suna, he was taller, he was more capable and had a bit more Chakra than even his usual amount…and he was strong enough to obliterate just about anything that could be thrown at him.

She sighed, flustered. She felt Naruto's curiosity through their bond. He was clearly monitoring her…to make sure she was okay. She allowed a flash of irritation, to which he had a flash of amusement at her reaction. She almost laughed. It was amusing, she supposed. They couldn't hear thoughts, but they could get the point across with emotions. Mostly.

Suddenly, she felt a wave of calm wash over her body…reassuring. She froze, surprised. Naruto was surprised too, she could feel. She had the distinct impression from his emotions that he found it cool. She wasn't exactly sure of what happened…but had the vaguest impression in her mind he had wanted to reassure her…and then the calm washed over her. Now that she thought about it, she had a similar effect on Naruto in the office earlier when he was getting angry. She had wanted to calm him, and he had calmed almost immediately.

Instantly, she had an idea. She focused on trying to calm him, though he didn't need it…and instantly, his emotions calmed. They hadn't been unruly at all, but she could sense his quiet fear, and his worry for her, was lowered.

He suddenly was amused, she could tell. This was definitely an interesting perk of their bond. His emotions were happier, definitely more excited and interested, and she wished she could tell him to be careful. He was still sparring with Kakashi…he had to keep his head in the game. She was shocked to feel her caution extend through their bond, like a wave of emotion, and he felt it. He was surprised, and she felt a return wave of curiosity from him. She interpreted it easily. What the hell was going on? It's freakin' cool, but what the hell is going on? She giggled, imagining Naruto's dumbfounded face as she pictured him saying that. Naruto was glad at her sudden flash of amusement. She knew it helped ease his worry, being able to tell she wasn't that bad.

She smiled, and leaned back a bit more into her hospital bed. She felt him send a calming wave to her…she could tell, or maybe she was imagining it, that he wanted her to sleep. She sent a sluggish wave of resignation. She was sure she'd be able to sleep eventually…but she was having a bit of fun with this. She vaguely wondered…

She sent a wave of emotion she had felt earlier. She wasn't sure exactly how to convey it, but she remembered the emotional high and tried to send it. She was shocked at Naruto's reaction. His emotions rocketed, and she blushed at the surge of lust that it brought out in Naruto. She had been imagining that feeling she had when he bit her…the 'orgasmic pleasure'. She blushed deeply, as she felt his own lust wash through their bond. His self-control wrestled with the lust for a moment, before his self-control won. He sent a half-amused and half-frustrated wave of emotions to her…and she winced. He wanted her as much as she wanted him, but he was ticked he couldn't do what he wanted with her. He was mad at her teasing him for sure. She sent an apologetic feeling to him. She almost laughed. Here she was thinking of 'waves' of emotions, being sent through an invisible bond. How strange.

Suddenly, her physical exhaustion increased, and she almost succumbed to it. Naruto urged her to, through their bond, and she knew she should. She sent one last wave to him, putting as much love as she could. He returned the wave, sending his love and a bit of calm to her, and she succumbed to sleep finally.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Naruto wearily sat in his chair, absolutely exhausted. He had trained with Kakashi, perfecting his anti-Sharingan fighting. Okay, not perfecting. But he was pretty darn close to perfection. He was really good at watching the body instead of the eyes now, but he ended up being hit a lot. So, he relied heavily on the Thunder Flicker. It usually helped…but he was sore from where Kakashi had punched him multiple times.

He had also perfected several other techniques, the first the Hiraishin. He had actually perfected his use of it. It was easier than he had expected, learning from Kakashi's memory and reading from his father. He respected how difficult it was to create. His father had been a genius…thankfully, Naruto just benefited from his father's hard work. Maybe it was genetics, but he got a hang of the Hiraishin pretty easily. It was pretty darn easy to locate the rift that led to kunai with the formulas on them. Though, he felt different strengths of pulls. He could feel tiny, almost invisible, pulls from everywhere. He assumed some were long lost, and forgotten, that his father had been unable to retrieve. Others, he was sure, were much stronger and were probably the ones in his father's closet. One of these days, he would have to check out the long lost ones…just to see where his father had been. But he'd have to be careful. He didn't want to end up underground, if the kunai was buried, or underwater, if the kunai was submerged. And, if the kunai was in a monster of an ancient beast…Naruto did NOT want to end up there. He'd have to see if there was a way to distinguish, through the rift without actually going, the conditions around the Kunai.

He had then perfected subtly sticking his dimensional Kunai in obscure, non-noticeable, places on his opponent during fighting. He had taken Kakashi's advice, and aimed for the back of his opponent's heel, their kunai holsters or pouches, their backs, or even just flat out stabbing it into them and then flashing to the Kunai with a Rasengan in hand. It was a pretty devastating attack, almost impossible to dodge unless you could use your own Chakra to un-stick the Kunai that Naruto coated with his own Chakra to stick to his opponent. But, Naruto was sure he could put a bunch of Chakra onto a Kunai, much more than the average Ninja could spare for simple removal in an intense match…and kill his opponent easily. He had made Kakashi strain for five seconds straight before they ended, before Kakashi had managed to pull it off. But then, Kakashi had been too exhausted from using so much Chakra. Kakashi was sure it was a surefire way to kill your opponent, either from Chakra drain or Hiraishin…either one, or Naruto could do both, Kakashi had joked. Naruto grinned.

He sighed, and wiped some dirt, blood, and sweat off his forehead with the sleeve of his blue shirt. Sakura was asleep still, having finally fallen asleep a good five hours ago. It was now eight thirty at night, and he was wishing he could sleep. But, he would stay up and watch over Sakura. Just in case.

He couldn't see her, because she was sleeping with the covers over her head. He smiled at that. She could be cute, just in the smallest things. He heard the rhythmic beeping of the heart-monitor, and sighed yet again. Kakashi had gone to recuperate after an intense day of training, and left Naruto alone with Sakura. Naruto was starving, but he refused to leave. He had been away from Sakura for seven hours. It was hard to believe it had only been noon when he had bitten Sakura…

Sakura's heart monitor spiked for a moment, and his eyes snapped to the monitor. It evened out, and Sakura stirred. She stretched underneath the covers, yawning, and he grinned. She threw back the covers, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Naruto stared at her in shock. She opened her eyes, blinking dazedly. "Naruto?" She asked, her voice and emotions revealing how excited she was to see him.

He blinked, rubbed his eyes, and blinked again. Okay. He wasn't hallucinating. She realized he was staring, and her heart rate increased. "What's wrong?" She asked, feeling his shock through their bond. She looked at her hands, arms, felt her face…but felt nothing out of place. "Naruto?" She asked, not quite afraid but definitely worried.

"Your…hair." He choked out. Her pink hair was no longer just pink. There were red streaks in her hair, thin streaks all throughout her hair, but they looked very fashionable. How the hell had she gotten red streaks? They weren't just red though. They were cherry red, going quite well with her hair color. Sakura's hands reached to her hair, and she grabbed several strands and examined them. All she saw was pink hair.

"What?" She asked, panicked. Naruto shook his head. "Relax. It's nothing bad. Just…wow." He said, and stood. He looked for a mirror, but didn't see one. He frowned, and created a Shadow Clone quickly. It looked at him, confused.

"Henge to a mirror." Naruto commanded. His clone nodded, and then yelled, "Henge!" The clone disappeared in a puff of smoke, and when the smoke cleared, a hand-held mirror was on the floor. Naruto picked it up, and tossed it to Sakura. She caught it easily, and anxiously examined her hair.

When she saw the cherry red streaks, she gawked. "What…?" She shook her head, and examined it again. She felt the red streaks of hair, blinking in shock. "How did my hair turn red?" She whispered.

She tossed the mirror to Naruto, who dispelled the Shadow Clone while it was in the air. He walked to her side, grinning. "Honestly…it doesn't look too bad at all…" He admitted, reaching out and playing with some of the red strands.

"Well, that's interesting." Sakura admitted, and he nodded. "Very interesting." He agreed, and released the few strands of hair he had been playing with.

"So…you're done training?" She asked, as he half-sat on the side of her bed.

"Yup. I'm as ready as I'm going to be." Naruto said softly. He grinned, but Sakura glared and socked him in the shoulder. "Yeah, sorry." He apologized. He had put up the smiling mask, when his emotions had given away his morose mood.

"You really need to stop doing that." She said softly, and he massaged his shoulder wryly.

"Habit." He said, and she sighed. "I was a dunce, not to realize how much you faked being happy." She said, and he reached over and pulled her into a side-hug.

"No. It's just that I wouldn't let anyone see, not even you guys. I felt it would be better to pretend to be happy…than show how sad I was. The thing is, you can tell now." He murmured, stroking her shoulder. The smell of her shampoo filled his nose, and he inhaled deeply.

"You're exhausted." Sakura murmured, pulling away and looking at him with concern. He shrugged. "Kakashi helped me out a lot. He's worse off than I am." He hedged. Sakura sighed.

"You bonehead, go get some rest." She ordered, and he shook his head. "I'm staying with you." He said stubbornly.

"Go get some rest, or I swear I'll knock you out." She threatened, a playful gleam in her eyes. Naruto frowned. "Sakura…" He whined, and she shoved him playfully off the bed. He fell off the bed, not expecting her to shove him, and groaned. "Ouch."

"Oops. Sorry." Sakura said, wincing. He picked himself up off the floor, and dusted himself off. "I'm serious though…go home." She said, and he sighed.

"You don't want me to stay?" He asked, dejected.

"You need to be ready to leave at a moment's notice, so you need some rest!" Sakura said, and he sighed. He could tell he wouldn't win. She was being stubborn again. He reached into his kunai holster, and withdrew a three-pronged Kunai. He handed it to her, and she took it, confused.

"If you need me, wake me up through the bond, and I'll be here in a flash." He said, his voice grave. She nodded, and tucked the kunai under her pillow. "There. Right where I can get it. Now, go get some rest." She said, and he sighed.

"Fine. But I won't like it." He said, sticking out his tongue at her. She laughed, and pointed her finger at the door. "Go!" She laughed, and he rolled his eyes.

"Puh-lease. A door is so overrated." He said, and went to the open window. "I'll see you soon, Sakura." He said, and then leapt out the window. She rolled her eyes.

"It would be easier to use the door." She murmured, and then laid back. The bonehead probably had fallen and hit the ground so many floors below. It would serve him right. She kept tabs on his emotions for a good half hour, before all of his emotions went blank and he fell asleep. Once she was sure he was out, she focused on going back to sleep herself. She brought the covers up to her chin, wishing they were a bit thicker so she could be warmer…but quickly lost any coherent thought as sleep swamped her.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Naruto's sleep was haunted by phantoms. Phantoms of the past, the present…and of what he was sure was the future. Sasuke, all grown up, in his seconds stage Cursed Seal Form. Orochimaru, his neck extended grossly. Itachi, his face perfectly composed…but the ominous threat behind his Sharingan Eyes seemed imminent.

Naruto woke, clear headed and alert, and stayed still. He knew it was ridiculous, but he still feigned sleep and searched for any Chakra presences. Once he was sure he was alone, he threw back his covers. He got out of bed, only in his boxers, and shook his head. Damn dreams.

He checked on Sakura, glad to feel her emotions were in a peaceful state. He assumed she was sleeping. He went to the closet, and yanked on a cord that turned the closet light bulb on. He grabbed several items of clothing, and then turned off the light. He glanced at the alarm clock beside the bed, but didn't complain as he saw the hour. It was four thirty in the morning.

He hurriedly went through his routine, showering and getting dressed in his father's old clothing, eating, cleaning up…and then he paused before he left. He turned to the picture of his mother and father on the wall, and whispered, "I'll be back soon." Then, he left. He jumped down the busted stairwell of the apartment building, walked down the hallway…and out to the unpopulated streets of Konoha. The sky was lighter than the pitch black of night…but not by much. He took in a quick breath of the crisp air, and closed his eyes.

He reached out, feeling for the dimensional opening that would lead him to Sakura. He took a single step, and felt himself being pulled miles away in a second flat. He felt his hand close around the handle, and he pulled his hand away quickly. He opened his eyes, and blinked. Sakura's room was lit only by one light now, to help keep her undisturbed in her sleep. Naruto felt a dangerously familiar presence behind him, and ducked and rolled to the side. He dimly realized he had landed silently, and had managed not to wake up Sakura. He pulled out a three-pronged Kunai as he rolled, and twisted so he faced the wall where he had felt the Chakra presence.

Danzo stood there, his eyes wide in surprise. Naruto snarled, rage exploding into existence, and leapt across the space that separated them. He grabbed Danzo by the throat and used his momentum to slam and pin the Elder to the wall. Danzo choked out a gasp in surprise, and Naruto bared his teeth. Naruto examined the older man, surprised to see that Danzo was wearing Anbu clothing. Danzo's eyes were wide, and he was clawing at Naruto's hand as Naruto choked off his oxygen supply with his right hand. He had switched the Kunai to his left hand in mid-leap.

He heard the tiniest sound behind him, and exercised a maneuver he had just perfected last night. He spun, punching Danzo and releasing his throat, and secretly planted his three-pronged Kunai on Danzo's back. Then, he leapt backwards, spinning so he faced whatever was behind him. A root Anbu, its dragon mask facing him, was standing next to Sakura's bed. The Anbu's hand was extended towards Sakura's IV, and he had a syringe in his hand. Naruto slammed into the man, grabbing and breaking both of his wrists in one wrench. Then, he grabbed fistfuls of the man's vest, spun and pivoted on one foot and threw his hip into the Anbu's stomach. He flipped the Anbu over his hip, and slammed him into the ground, and then reached out instinctively to the marker Kunai on Danzo's back. Danzo was a few feet away from the wall, his Katana out, and had been ready to run Naruto through with his sword. Naruto flashed behind Danzo, grabbing his Kunai in his right hand, and putting Danzo in a headlock with his left arm. He moved his Kunai to Danzo's exposed throat, as he pulled Danzo's head back at an awkward angle…just as Zetsu had done to Chiyo in Suna.

"Stop." Naruto growled, breathing heavily. The Anbu who had been thrown onto the ground was on his feet, and he was no longer alone. There was another Root Anbu at his side, preparing to spring at Naruto. "Move an inch and he dies." Naruto snarled, and the Root Anbu froze.

Sakura was awake, sitting up in bed, her eyes wide. She must have felt Naruto's sudden eruption of emotion through their bond, and been woken by it. She sprang out of bed, only in her hospital gown, and slipped into a defensive crouch. Her eyes darted from the Anbu, to Naruto and Danzo, and back. Naruto could feel her momentary confusion, and then her anger.

She sprang from her crouch, and Naruto blinked in surprise as she moved much faster than he thought she could. One moment she was crouched, the next she was between the two Anbu. She snap-kicked one to the chest, slipped into a crouch and uppercutted the next, and Naruto would have bet a hundred thousand Ryo that she had infused her punch with Chakra. The man flew into the ceiling with a sickening crack, fell back to the floor and laid still, while she slammed her fist into the head of the one she had snap-kicked. He flew backwards into some instrument panels, and then fell face-first and laid still.

Sakura didn't even look winded at all, as she straightened completely and glared at Danzo. Danzo choked out, "Release me."

Naruto snarled, and kneed Danzo in the kidney, causing the older man to cry out in pain. "Sakura…you okay?" He asked. She nodded quickly.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Are you okay?" She asked, examining him for wounds quickly.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Naruto said. He felt Danzo's right arm twitch, the arm holding the Katana, and he instinctively ducked. Danzo's elbow flew to where Naruto's head had been, and when Naruto ducked, his hands had come loose. Danzo spun, slashing down at Naruto with his Katana, but Naruto side-stepped. He didn't bother with anything fancy, he just headbutted the older man. Danzo stumbled backwards two steps, hands flying to his head so he dropped his Katana.

Sakura was on Danzo, once again faster than Naruto could have believed. She gripped a tuft of Danzo's hair in her left hand, and punched his kidney twice with her right hand. Danzo fell to his knees, crying out in pain, and Naruto picked up the fallen Katana. He placed the tip of it at Danzo's throat, and Danzo's cold black eyes widened as he choked back another cry.

"I told you to leave us alone." Naruto growled, resisting the urge to slash the man's throat. Naruto made a Shadow Clone without any hand seals, and snapped, "Go get Tsunade." He was surprised to see his Shadow Clone had red eyes and thick whisker marks…which meant he must look like that at the moment. The Shadow Clone nodded, and bolted away.

"What were you trying to do?" Naruto asked, examining Sakura out of the corner of his eyes. She was still holding Danzo by the hair, pulling his head back so his throat was exposed for Naruto. But, besides that…there was something different about her. It wasn't her hair…it was something else. Sakura's sharp green eyes were glaring down at Danzo…and Naruto blinked. Her pupils were slitted.

'_**Well, perhaps her eyes change to mark her mood like yours?' **_The Kyuubi rumbled. Naruto wondered why the hell the Kyuubi wasn't asleep, as he tended to be in the most important situations.

'_**I'm not usually asleep in the important situations! Hmph. Next time we're in an important situation, I might just actually sleep.' **_The Kyuubi growled. Naruto apologized.

'_Sorry. Just a little worked up here.'_ He said. The Kyuubi snorted.

'_**Run the bastard through. He tried to steal your mate away from you, and Kami knows what he was going to do to her.'**_ The Kyuubi said, and Naruto almost obeyed. But then he remembered…he had to let Tsunade break every bone in his body first. The Kyuubi liked the idea of that.

Memories blossomed in his mind, and he blinked. His Shadow Clone had been killed, stabbed from behind, as soon as he was outside of the hospital. Naruto cursed. "SHIT!"

He snarled, "How many men do you have surrounding the place?"

Danzo looked up at him, a faint smile on his lips. "Ten." He said. Naruto trembled in rage, ready to kill the bastard, when Sakura sent a calming wave of emotions towards him. He looked at her, seeing her green eyes were no longer slitted, and allowed the calming wave to lower the intensity of his rage. He thought quickly.

"Sakura, here." He said, and handed her the Katana. Sakura took it, held it against Danzo's throat, and watched Naruto. He bit his thumb, and flew through a small set of hand seals. He focused on which summon he wanted, and yelled, **"Kuchiyose no Jutsu! (Summoning Jutsu!)"**

A puff of smoke erupted as he slammed his palm on the ground, and blood seeped from his thumb and swirled into a summoning formula. Naruto straightened as he saw which toad he had summoned, and grinned. Great.

"Gamakichi…we've got a situation." Naruto said, not giving the reddish-orange toad a chance to say hello.

Gamakichi, half as tall as Naruto while he squatted, blinked up at Naruto. "Oh. Swell. Whaddaya need?" He asked. Naruto frowned at the still-growing son of Gamabunta. "I need you to go to Jiraiya. Tell him that ten Root Anbu are surrounding the Hospital, and we have Danzo. Tell Jiraiya Danzo was attempting to do something with Sakura, and I acted. Tell him to get Tsunade, and however many Anbu she thinks she'll need. And tell him to hurry, please." Naruto said, and Gamakichi nodded.

"Sure thing, Naruto. Good luck!" Gamakichi called, and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto turned to Danzo. "Didn't think of that, did you?" He asked, and Danzo's eyes narrowed. "No…no I didn't." Danzo admitted. Naruto turned to the only window to the room, and walked over to it. He slammed the window shut, drew the curtain, and stalked back to Danzo.

"What the hell were you trying to do with Sakura?" Naruto asked, getting right in Danzo's face. Danzo had a sickeningly sweet smile on his face. "Nothing. I was simply worried for her health. I came to see if she was suffering any adverse conditions to the bite."

Naruto punched him, just hard enough to draw blood. "What were you going to do with Sakura?" He asked again, but Sakura sent yet another calming wave of emotions that settled him down.

"Naruto…calm down. Just wait for Tsunade to get here." Sakura said softly. Naruto nodded.

"Give me the Katana. You go get in bed. You shouldn't even be up yet." Naruto said, and took the Katana. He kept it against Danzo's throat, pushing slightly so it drew blood…just so Danzo wouldn't try anything, and Sakura let go of Danzo's hair. Naruto watched Sakura walk back over to her bed, and he felt her slightly resentful emotions.

"Hey, that's no fair. We don't know how long the change will take to complete, Sakura. I'm just trying to make sure that you don't somehow end up in pain." Naruto complained. Sakura's resentment lessened as she got in bed and sighed.

"I know. But…I hate sitting here while you hold a sword to someone's throat." She said, and he almost laughed.

"Feeling left out?" He teased. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Idiot." She mumbled. She pulled the covers over her legs, probably to ward off the cold, and sat there…staring at Naruto and Danzo.

"Your eyes changed when you were mad." Naruto said softly. Danzo's eyes widened as he heard Naruto's words. Sakura blinked, surprised. "Really?" She asked.

"Yeah. They didn't change color…but the pupil became slitted, just like when I get mad or draw on the Kyuubi's power." Naruto said.

"Hm…weird…" Sakura murmured.

"Sakura…do you notice anything different?" Naruto asked, curious.

"Yeah. I'm stronger. Definitely stronger. That snap-kick that I did, I felt it break one of his ribs. And I'm faster. And, when I reached for Chakra to infuse it into my punch…I found that I had a lot more than I should. It threw me off, so I put too much into my uppercut. I don't think he's still alive." Sakura said softly, looking at the Root Anbu laying face-first on the ground.

Suddenly, an explosion of smoke erupted from near the entrance of the room. Naruto felt Jiraiya's Chakra signature, and refrained from throwing a kunai. The smoke cleared, and Naruto nodded at the figures that were revealed. Tsunade, Shizune, and Jiraiya were all standing there. They looked as if they had been woken up, but they looked alert and ready.

"Naruto, Sakura!" Tsunde cried, looking around in surprise as she noticed the fallen Anbu…and Danzo at sword point.

"Damn you, Danzo…what's the meaning of this?" Tsunade growled. She made a hand signal to Shizune, who nodded and went to Sakura's side to check her over. Jiraiya and Tsunade stepped over the Root Anbu who was in the middle of the floor, and crossed the room to stand in front of Naruto.

"I used Hiraishin to get here…and found Danzo here. Next thing I know, there's an Anbu with a syringe in his hand, trying to put it in Sakura's IV." Naruto said, and then blinked. Sakura had an IV. Which meant she had needed some kind of nutrients/fluid, which meant something had happened. More than that, she had ripped out that IV when she had sprang into action. Naruto glared at Tsunade.

"Why did Sakura have an IV? What happened?" Then before Tsunade could say anything, he turned to Sakura. He was pissed. Shizune was trying to re-apply the IV, but Sakura waved her off. "Why the hell didn't you wake me if something happened?" Naruto demanded.

Sakura winced. "You can relax. It was nothing. Just being cautious. You said my Chakra would be increased, and so Tsunade figured my inner coils would be expanded forcibly. This fluid in the bag, is a pain reducer…constant, but small enough that I won't be wasted like if I was on a pain killer." Sakura said, trying to reassure him. He frowned, and turned back to Tsunade. Tsunade affirmed it with a nod, and Naruto growled. "Stupid people, not telling me what they're doing."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Not now, Naruto. Right now, we need to figure out what to do with Danzo." She said, and looked at the Elder who was still on his knees. Naruto looked at him as well, and grinned. "I think you should keep your word, and break every bone in his body" He said, grinning nastily.

"Oh, how I want to." Tsunade replied, and Danzo's eyes widened. "You wouldn't really, Princess Tsunade." He said, trying to see if she was bluffing.

"You're right. I'd rather have you tried for treason, and then have you publicly stripped of rank and executed." Tsunade said, nodding.

"Damn. You're cranky when you get woken up early." Jiraiya laughed, only to be silenced by a killer glare from Tsunade.

"You wouldn't." Danzo said again, but he paled.

Suddenly, an Anbu wearing a bear mask appeared in their midst. "Hokage-sama…all of the Root Anbu units have been taken care of." He said, bowing.

"Good. Keep them captive, under threat of death, until I can take care of this." Tsunade barked. The Anbu nodded, and then disappeared.

Naruto glanced over at Sakura again, as Sakura got off her bed, and walked over. Naruto was going to tell her to get back in bed, but she gave him a look that said if he did, he'd suffer a lot of pain. He wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Stand, Danzo." Tsunade commanded, and Naruto took the Katana away from Danzo's throat. Danzo stood, and cast a glance around for an exit.

"Don't bother. I brought a platoon of Anbu to watch the exits, and another to capture your Anbu." Tsunade said, her voice hard.

Danzo didn't give away his despair if he felt any. Naruto's hand tightened on the grip of the Katana, ready to slice the Elder the first chance he got.

"Now, Danzo, you're being charged with," Tsunade said formally, ready to 'officially' take him in. Suddenly, with an eruption of smoke, Gamakichi appeared next to Jiraiya. He wordlessly handed Jiraiya a purple scroll, and Jiraiya's eyes widened. He grabbed it, ripped it open, and Gamakichi waved at Naruto before he disappeared in another explosion of smoke.

"We don't have time for this." Jiraiya said suddenly, looking up from the scroll. Naruto looked at him, confused. How could they not have time for this? This was important!

Jiraiya cast a glance at Sakura, Tsunade, and Naruto. "I have word from my spy in Orochimaru's ranks. Sasuke will be stopping at the Valley of the End within twelve hours." Jiraiya said, and Naruto froze for a moment. He forgot how to breathe. His mind went blank except for one word. _'Sasuke.'_

"Naruto…? Are you ready for this?" Jiraiya asked, his eyes scrutinizing the frozen blond.

Naruto nodded slowly, unsure of what he was feeling. It felt similar to fear…but it wasn't quite fear. Maybe it was apprehension, but there was more to it than just fear. Excitement, fear, slight anger…all boiled into one emotion. He started to shake, and Sakura was instantly at his side. She stroked the side of his face, whispering, "Shhhh." She soothed him, but he still shook slightly.

Tsunade watched with concern, as Sakura calmed him. "Naruto…get it together." Jiraiya said, though not unkindly. Naruto nodded, and Sakura whispered, "Calm down. Your eye color is flickering like crazy."

Naruto nodded again, and ground his teeth. He attempted to calm himself down, and took a few deep breaths. It helped to control his emotions, along with the calming waves of emotion that Sakura was submerging him in.

Danzo was watching with interest, and Naruto flashed a glare at him. Danzo looked away immediately. Naruto managed to speak, without his voice acting up. "Shizune…send word to the team. Have them meet me in front of the gate." Naruto said, and Shizune nodded.

Naruto turned to Sakura. "Let's get your clothes, and get you out of here." He said, and Sakura said, "Right."

"We'll deal with Danzo while you're gone." Tsunade said. Naruto could see the concern in her eyes. He nodded.

"Be careful, Naruto. Orochimaru's bound to have shown him some of his own personal tricks. Watch out for snake summons, and genjutsu especially." Jiraiya said, stepping up close to Naruto.

"And…" He murmured. He handed Naruto a scroll, and Naruto took it with a questioning look. "This is a little something from Yugito and I. She told me not to give this to you until you went to get Sasuke, and I agreed. Don't open it until you're all set up and ready at the Valley of the End." Jiraiya said. Naruto nodded once, and then shoved the scroll into the pouch on the back of his belt. He choked on the emotions that erupted, the empty feeling as he remembered his now-deceased friend and fellow Jinchuriki. Yugito had given the scroll to Jiraiya before she had died…half a year ago, and had cared enough about him to give him something to assist him in bringing Sasuke back.

"Let's go, Sakura-chan." Naruto said, reverting back to his old style of speaking while he tried to deal with his emotions. Sakura nodded, and followed him as he strode from the room. "I'll take you to your apartment." He said, stopping in the doorway. He turned and looked one last time at everyone…excluding Danzo. He managed to calm his emotions a bit, but they were still there.

"I'll be back. And this time…I'll bring Sasuke." Naruto said, his voice choking up at the end. Sakura cast a glance at Tsunade…an urgent reminder. Tsunade nodded almost imperceptibly at Sakura, telling her she remembered. She would have a medical team on standby.

"Be careful, Naruto." Tsunade said, her worry clear in her voice. Naruto flashed her his patented Uzumaki grin, and said, "Don't worry, Baa-chan…I'll be fine."

Then, he grabbed Sakura into his arms, and quickly initiated the Thunder Flicker. He flashed away, Sakura clinging to him tightly. She didn't know how he knew where he was going…but within a second, she found her old clothes in her arms. He must have swooped by the Hospital's laundry room. Wow, he was fast.

She concentrated on his emotions, his scent…the feel of his body against hers. She could feel how apprehensive, excited…afraid he was. She could smell his intoxicating scent, and she vaguely recognized she could smell a brand of Shampoo that she was familiar with. He must have showered before he came. And his body, oh gods, the feel of his body was making her shiver. His strong arms held her securely against his firm, yet surprisingly comfortable, chest. She felt like an electric current was passing from him into her where his hands grabbed the bare skin of her legs and under her back…making her tremble slightly. Suddenly, they were in her apartment, in her bedroom. She blushed slightly, looking away from him.

He had flipped on the lights, after somehow opening her door. Had it been locked? He seemed to know her question. "I sent another Shadow Clone ahead of me. He unlocked it, without breaking anything." He said. She nodded, as he set her down. She was about to turn away, to start getting ready, when she felt an intense emotion roll through hers and Naruto's bond. She turned, ready to ask what was wrong.

Suddenly, she found him kissing her. It wasn't a soft, gentle kiss either. It was _all_ fire, passion…want and need. She gasped as he wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her tight to his. She kissed him back, overwhelmed by the sudden ferocity of both of their emotions. The fire spread throughout her entire body, pleasing…yet demanding something that she knew Naruto wouldn't give…yet. She pushed her body as close to his as she could get, melding their forms together, as Naruto's right hand reached up to her head and held her tight to his lips. His warm breath fanned across her face as he pulled back for a second, giving them both the chance to breath. The second was over quickly, and he kissed her hard again. Their lips moved in a violent synchrony, betraying their eagerness…their lust.

But then she felt the change in Naruto. His self-control was losing against his lust. _'Maybe…' _she wondered vaguely, too dazed by their still-continuing kiss to think in complete sentences, and reached down to the hem of her hospital gown. The fire in her body that was spread throughout her limbs concentrated on one spot, right below her belly, and she groaned. She didn't just want him. She _needed_ him. Her hands pulled up the hem of her gown, which had stopped at mid-thigh, pulling it clear up to her belly. She was embarrassed, being so bold with him, but she didn't care. She _needed_ him. Her bare lower torso pressed hard against his clothed body, and he realized what she had done. He groaned, his left hand wandering down her back. She knew he was fighting, trying to stay in control. But his left hand sought for her flesh, wandering lower. She shuddered, and kissed him hard, eager to take his self-control away. She didn't care about his sense of decency. She was impatient. She wanted him now!

Suddenly, his self-control strengthened, as he reached the rumpled hem of her gown that was up at the small of her back. He knew this was the turning point. She waited, stopped kissing him, and looked at his face. She read his emotions anxiously, though his face gave everything away. His eyes flickered to red, betraying his emotional instability, but then turned blue. He was torn by indecision. He wanted her, no…she was sure he was feeling the need as much as she was. Her lower bare torso ground against him, betraying her impatience. His eyes screwed shut, and he groaned. "No…I can't." He murmured.

"Why not?" She asked, suddenly dejected. She could feel his nearly over-powering lust rolling through his emotions, so she knew he wanted her. But, his self-control was stronger than she gave him credit for.

He opened his eyes, tortured, and said, "We're not married yet."

She froze, her eyes widening, and she whispered, "What?"

His eyes tightened as he scrutinized her suddenly flat emotions. She was shocked. "I…wanted our first time to be right. I've been waiting…for marriage." He explained, hesitant.

"Aren't we technically already married?" She whispered, and his hand tightened around the crumpled hem of her gown that was just above her bare flesh. He groaned, and pulled her gown back down all the way. "Only by the demons' rules. We're human." Naruto whispered. His eyes betrayed him, betrayed how much he wanted her.

"Naruto, we're both physically young, but we're mentally adults!" She tried to reason. "We've seen and done things that no other people, even adults, could deal with. We're as responsible, and adult, as any one else. Besides, we're not the only young Ninja like this! I'm sure there are friends of ours who do it!"

His eyes hardened slightly, and she felt his disapproval at her last sentences. "I…I just want you." She whispered, pressing herself against him. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. "I want you too, Sakura. More than I can explain." He whispered hoarsely.

"Then don't explain." She whispered breathlessly. "Show me."

She acted quickly, before he could stop her. She reached down, and grabbed the hem of her gown once more. She pulled it up, removing the hem from his hands as she pulled it, all the way over her head…and dropped it on the floor. Naruto's eyes widened, and she raised her chin to meet his gaze. His eyes locked on hers, trying to keep his eyes from darting to her completely bare body.

"Show me." She whispered once more, and she leaned forward and hugged him. Her bare skin felt electrified as she pressed against his clothing, and she wrapped her arms around him. He groaned, and then she felt him admit defeat. His lust surged, and the intensity of it almost overwhelmed her. "Sakura…" He moaned, and then mashed his lips against hers in a desperate kiss.

She whispered again, into their kiss, eager and excited. "Show me." He responded aggressively, kissing her harder. She moaned, and quickly lost herself to the feelings of the moment. He was hers, she was his…that was all that mattered.

__________________________________________________________________

Okay, that's the end of the chapter. I…am kind of uncomfortable writing sexually explicit scenes, as I've said before. But, because I want to see if I can even do it (I'm curious about my own skill-level.), and you guys want it…next chapter will be a lemon.

And I must say I'm a closet pervert. *giggles at thoughts in head*

*Tsunade stomps over and punches Author 1000 meters away* "I TOLD YOU NOT TO THINK THOSE DISGUSTING THIGNS!

*Author whimpers as he picks himself up from the crater his impact created* I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama!

Those of you who don't like lemons, don't read the chapter. It's only going to be the lemon, no REAL story. The chapter after that will pick up easily from this chapter's end. If you want to skip the lemon, jump straight to that Chapter when I upload it. So, I will warn you ONE LAST TIME! CHAPTER 16 IS A LEMON!

Okay, that aside, thanks for reading so far guys! And, to Katon Kitsune…I'm glad that I can entertain you guys. I know they're called tomoe, but…I can't figure out if that's the singular AND plural form or just the singular. I'll be writing it as 'tomoe' for singular and plural form for you guys, regardless if it's correct. I think it adds a bit more to the story, even just using that small word, and I probably should have done it sooner. Sorry. :/


	16. Chapter 16

Lost in the Green Seas

Chapter 16

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm BACK! Well…my computer is. XP I cleaned out my comp, and found a HUGE amount of dust in it. Now my comp is running fine, lol, after me cleaning it out. *Note to self: CLEAN COMPUTER! ;)*

Now…my second problem is still unresolved. It hurts, but I can deal with it enough to bring you all the rest of my story. If you feel the quality has declined however, let me know. I don't want to bring you guys a story if it's shitty. Thank you ALL for your understanding, (I'm a little disappointed in the less-understanding fans, but oh well. Not everyone is that considerate of others' feelings.) and thank you all so much for your offers of advice and being someone to listen. It means a lot. If it gets any worse, I'm sure I'll take some of you up on your offers. It's not easy, getting over someone you spent the last two and a half years in love with. Even if there are plenty of other fish in the sea, that was the one fish for me. ;) or so it felt like. But I digress.

I now bring you the newest chapter! ENJOY!

For those of you who didn't get it….THIS CHAPTER IS 100% PURE LEMON! OMG! Lol. ;)

**IF YOU'RE TOO YOUNG, OR OFFENDED BY SEXUAL SCENES, DO ****NOT**** CONTINUE OR READ THIS CHAPTER. WAIT FOR CHAPTER 17 TO COME OUT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

PREVIOUSLY:

_His eyes hardened slightly, and she felt his disapproval at her last sentences. "I…I just want you." She whispered, pressing herself against him. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. "I want you too, Sakura. More than I can explain." He whispered hoarsely._

"_Then don't explain." She whispered breathlessly. "Show me." _

_She acted quickly, before he could stop her. She reached down, and grabbed the hem of her gown once more. She pulled it up, removing the hem from his hands as she pulled it, all the way over her head…and dropped it on the floor. Naruto's eyes widened, and she raised her chin to meet his gaze. His eyes locked on hers, trying to keep his eyes from darting to her completely bare body._

"_Show me." She whispered once more, and she leaned forward and hugged him. Her bare skin felt electrified as she pressed against his clothing, and she wrapped her arms around him. He groaned, and then she felt him admit defeat. His lust surged, and the intensity of it almost overwhelmed her. "Sakura…" He moaned, and then mashed his lips against hers in a desperate kiss._

_She whispered again, into their kiss, eager and excited. "Show me." He responded aggressively, kissing her harder. She moaned, and quickly lost herself to the feelings of the moment. He was hers, she was his…that was all that mattered._

THE CONTINUATION:

Naruto couldn't help it. As soon as she had pulled off her gown, he had known he would lose. The flash of pale, bare skin in his peripheral vision made his lust surge. He forced himself to look in her eyes as she whispered for him to show her how much he wanted her. He moaned her name, defeated by his urges. "Sakura…" And then he leaned down and kissed her hard. He didn't mean to be rough, but he couldn't help it. The feel of her soft, silken lips moving hungrily against his, made him want to touch her. To explore her.

"Show me." Sakura whispered again, and Naruto couldn't help but be turned on even more at her words. He mashed his lips against hers harder, desperate, and the moan she uttered made him want to throw her on her bed.

He couldn't hold himself back. He reached with his right hand, hesitant even though his lust made his blood catch fire in his veins. He stroked her bare back, and felt her shiver under his touch. He felt the smooth skin of her back, amazed at how soft it was. He stepped back, removing himself from their kisses. Dazed, she looked at him. "What are you…?" She asked, and he smirked.

"Well…you being without clothes…I think it's hardly fair that I'm still fully clothed." He said, and she blushed. But, he could tell she was eager. He hadn't put on his green Special-Jonin vest this morning, just the blue pants and blue long-sleeve shirt. He pulled off his long-sleeved shirt, and dropped it on the floor. Bare-chested now, he allowed himself to look at her bare chest. It was fair, wasn't it?

He tried not to gawk. Sakura wasn't a little girl anymore. Though her shoulders and arms looked weak and thin…he could see the slight muscle as she was relaxed. Her pale skin was beautiful. He allowed his gaze to rest on her breasts, and felt his body respond to the sight. Her breasts were perfectly round, perky…he could measure from a glance that they were probably medium C-cups…and he saw a faint rosy flush start on her skin, starting just at her neck. She knew he was examining her. He could feel her elation, and her nervousness…but her own lust was just as strong as his own. He continued to examine her. Her breasts were so milky white, so soft-looking…he was reminded of porcelain. Her soft pink aureoles were the size of a quarter, and her erect nipples were almost as long as the tip of his pinky. He wanted to hold her breasts, to suck on them…caress them. If he was honest with himself, he wanted to do more than that, though. Not yet. He had to at least control himself enough not to jump her.

He reached out, and gently laid his hands on her shoulders. He leaned forward, and kissed her again. He blushed as he felt her breasts press against his chest, her nipples poking his skin. He forced himself to be gentle in their kiss, afraid that he would hurt her.

'_**As if you could hurt her. She's stronger than an ox!'**_ The Kyuubi snorted. Naruto froze, and Sakura felt his shock and surprise through their bond.

'_**Oops.'**_ The Kyuubi muttered.

"What?" Sakura whispered.

"Damn fox." Naruto growled.

'_Get out of my head, close your eyes and ears…or so help me, I'll pluck every hair from your body one by one!'_ Naruto threatened.

'_**I'd consider saying, 'Go ahead and try'…' **_The Kyuubi said. _**'But I have a feeling you would try…and then succeed. Damn. Fine. Ruining just about the only real fun I've had in almost two decades!'**_ The Fox left the link, and Naruto knew he was sulking in the back of his cage.

Sakura was blushing, and he looked down. She was looking up in his eyes, searching for an answer. "He was…um…talking." Naruto explained.

"About?" Sakura asked, and Naruto murmured, "I was trying to be gentle. I don't want to hurt you…and he said you were as strong as an ox. I just kind of overreacted. He was aware of what was happening…and I don't want a spectator."

Sakura's hands reached up between them, and trailed her hands down his muscled chest. She couldn't get over how hot he was without his shirt on. The news of the Fox watching, being aware…made her nervous. But, she was still going through with this. "Is he watching now…?" She asked.

"No. I told him if he didn't plug his eyes and ears, I'd pluck every hair from his body." Naruto assured her. She raised an eyebrow. "Could you?"

Naruto laughed. "I don't know. He thinks I could."

Sakura surprised him by leaning up and kissing his neck. "Good. Because I'm not stopping, and if he so much as peeks…you better do what you said you would." She murmured. He moaned, feeling her soft lips suckling on his neck. "That's my job." He said, and moved his own mouth down to her soft neck. He saw the complex mating seal that he had marked her with, and decided on that spot. He latched his mouth, gently, on that spot, and kissed her and ran his tongue around that spot. She gasped, her mouth leaving his neck, and leaned back. He stopped, concerned, and looked at her. Her eyes were screwed shut as she leaned back, his arms having moved unconsciously to her back to hold her.

"Sakura?" He whispered.

"That was so good. Sorry." Sakura said. Naruto moved a hand to the back of her head so he supported her head as she stayed leaning back. She looked up at him, her green eyes bright. "Caught me off guard." She murmured. Naruto blinked, suddenly realizing something. He looked down a bit, and saw her breasts enticingly close. He felt her surge of excitement as she realized what he was considering…but he raised her so she was no longer leaning back. He murmured, "Hold on."

He took a breath. He had no idea what he was doing. He wanted her, he knew that. He wanted her so bad he was ready to lay her on the bed and have his way with her. So why didn't he? Because he was aware of how a girl's first time hurt. He would rather die than hurt her. Maybe…maybe they didn't have to go that far. He could give her pleasure, but without hurting her. Maybe he wouldn't have to go that far. He leaned forward, and captured her lips gently.

She grabbed his shoulders and gently guided him, as she walked backwards, to her bed. When the back of her knees his the edge of the bed, she pulled him down with her, and he felt her legs leave the ground as she laid back. Her legs spread, and he fought not to break from their kiss to look. Suddenly , her legs were wrapped around his waist as he crawled onto the bed with her, and her legs pinned him against her. His aching erection, though clothed, ground against her. He could feel how hot she was through his clothing, and they both moaned into their kiss.

He braced himself, so his full weight wasn't on her, with his left arm and he realized he still had his shoes on. He kicked them off, letting them fall to the floor, as he traced her lips with his tongue. Her mouth opened willingly, and he slid his tongue into her mouth. Her tongue met with his, and they caressed each other. He moved his right hand to her left leg that was thrown up around his right hip. He reached back, and touched her bare ankle. He ran his hand along her leg, amazed at the silky smoothness, up her calf. She shuddered as they French kissed, and he sucked on her tongue. His hand ran up along the outside of her thigh now, and his blood was burning with the fire of his lust. He caressed her hip, and then reached down and around her…and cupped her firm buttocks. Her breathing became heavier, and he broke the kiss. He leaned up, away from her, and looked at her and waited for her to open her eyes. When she did, he met her gaze…and moved his hand up. He traced it back around, and to her firm belly and slowly trailed his hand up her skin. She shivered as he passed her navel, letting his fingertips dip slightly around the edges, and then go up to her rib-cage. But…she never stopped looking in his eyes.

He felt the firmness of her ribs, trailing his fingertips gently and very slowly. He wasn't sure if he could just touch her like that…so he asked. "May I…touch you?" He whispered, reading into her gaze.

"Please, yes." She whispered, and he felt the strength of her longing through their bond. He reached his hand up, and traced his fingertips along the swell of hot flesh. She shivered, and her breath came out in a sharp gasp, as he traced upwards…and felt his fingertips brush against her erect nipple. He stopped, and cupped his hand to the form of her breast. Sakura's eyes fluttered closed, and the only way he knew she was awake…was because her hips rocking against his. She had her arms out by her side, and her right fist was clenched in her bed sheets…while her left lay limp and open-palm up.

"N-Naruto." She stammered, and her eyes opened. He never stopped looking at her eyes. He was afraid if he looked at the rest of her, she'd be so beautiful, so overwhelming…he'd lose control. "P-please…" She seemed embarrassed. "Feel me." She whispered. He didn't know exactly what she meant. "I am." He murmured, and she blushed deeply. "No…I mean…fondle…" She couldn't seem to finish her sentence.

He got it, and blushed. But, he moved his hand so his hand cupped the underside of her breast, and he squeezed slightly. He didn't want to look. He was afraid to. He'd heard of how some men were like dogs…the sight of a female's body sent them into a mindless frenzy…and he didn't want to be like that. He gently caressed, stroked, squeezed, her breast, and she closed her eyes and bit her lower lip. "Naruto!" She whispered, and he felt the urgency behind her faster rocking hips. She was grinding against his length, and he so desperately wanted to be inside of her. But no. He'd have to stop before then.

Sakura's breath was coming out irregularly, and she was trembling. He could have killed himself right then…because his eyes betrayed him. His eyes flashed down to her chest, and froze there. He stared at the round, firm yet yielding, flesh that his hand slowly fondled…and he felt his lust surge even higher. He felt like he was burning alive, and that it wasn't so bad. It was a pleasant thing at first, but then the need surged with the lust, and he ground his teeth as he fought to keep control of himself. Her soft pink aureole and nipples were beautiful, so beautiful and enticing…he wanted to kiss them. His head moved without conscious effort, and he suddenly found his mouth an inch from her plump breast. He froze, and then looked up at Sakura's face. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and both of her hands were fisted in the bed sheets. "Please!" She whispered, pleading. He did.

He opened his mouth and planted a kiss on her breasts, but didn't take his mouth away. Her nipple was in his mouth, and he closed his mouth around it. He suckled gently, tasting her sweet flesh. Sakura gasped at the contact of his mouth on her, and then he let his tongue explore her nipple, caress around the aureole. He closed his eyes as he enjoyed the sweetness of her skin, the taste of her breast and nipple, and he heard Sakura's desperate gasping. He now braced himself with his right hand, moving it from her breast, and cupped her other breast in his free left hand. "Yes!" Sakura whispered fiercely, and he suckled and played with her nipple with his tongue. She moaned, and whispered his name.

He was suddenly aware that her hips weren't the only ones rocking. He was grinding against her, _wanting_ her to feel how hard he was. _Wanting_ her to feel his length. He heard her whimper, but all he felt through their bond was her excitement, happiness, longing…so he assumed it was a good whimper. He switched his attentions to her right breast, latching onto her nipple eagerly. His right hand went to the breast his mouth just left, and his left arm braced him above her. His right hand cupped her flesh, squeezing her breast, and then moved to her nipple. It was slick with his saliva, and he followed his instinct and rubbed her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Sakura gasped, a loud sharp intake of breath, and he slowly found an idea forming in his head. Maybe, as much as he wanted to just get it over with and go all the way, he could appease her without having to go inside of her and end up hurting her. Though, he desperately wanted to say screw it and throw all caution to the wind. But…he was going to hold onto his control.

He removed his mouth from her breast, as well as his hand, and she moaned in disappointment, "Don't stop!" He looked up at her…and whispered, "Will you trust me?"

She opened her eyes, though they looked dazed, and she looked down at him. She seemed confused. "Yes." She whispered. "Will you let me try something?" He murmured. She nodded. "Anything."

He nodded, and whispered, "You'll have to tell me what feels good and what doesn't…I'm not sure about this idea…" Then, he slid backwards off the bed and out of the grip of her constantly-grinding hips. She stared, confused, as he got onto his knees in front of the bed….where her knees were know resting over the edge. Her legs were held tight together, and he hoped he wouldn't disgust her. He reached forward, and touched her clenched thighs. "I'm going to ask for you to…spread you legs." He murmured.

Sakura's eyes widened, as she surely realized what he planned. She seemed unsure for a moment, before nodding and relaxing her legs. She opened her thighs…and he allowed himself to truly look at her. Her wide hips were beautifully rounded, and her skin was just as pale as her upper half. The skin between her hips was decorated only by the smallest of patches of hair. Hardly any at all. He raised his eyebrows, surprised. She had pink pubic hair. But, he didn't dwell on that. He looked down past the hair…and at the secret that lie between her legs. He stared, amazed. He had seen text-book graphs and pictures of female anatomy, but never had they seemed beautiful. Sakura was. He scooted forward more, and came very close to her. He could see…she was wet. He looked up at Sakura's face, as she laid back. He could see her eyes were screwed shut and she was biting her lip. He could feel her insecurity through their bond.

"You're very beautiful…" He murmured, and her whole body convulsed. He realized dimly, that he was close enough that his breath must have been felt on her.

He felt through their bond the fact that she was pleased, embarrassed at the same time, but very eager and impatient. He whispered, "Relax." Then…he moved his head forward even more. He reached with both of his hands as well, and placed them right along the insides of her thighs…so close…only a hair's breadth. He could feel the heat radiating from her. He reached forward, and gently touched her with his hands. Sakura hissed, and arched her back. Her legs flew open wider, and he knew she wanted it. He wasn't sure how gentle he needed to be…so he did his best not to cause her discomfort or pain. He moved his mouth up to her, and did what he had once read about in his perverted Sensei's books. (Jiraiya had actually read it aloud to him, forcing him to hear. Jiraiya had held him down with Shadow Clones, and read a chapter from his book. Jiraiya had said gravely, "You'll thank me someday for this, Naruto. TRUST me.")

He licked her, slowly, and was surprised to find that she tasted…delicious. Slightly sweet, but a strange other taste that he couldn't quite name. Sakura gasped, and her hips ground against his mouth. His tongue traced her outer lips, and Sakura gave a small half-scream that was quiet, but high-pitched. "Kami!" Sakura whispered, and he stilled her hips with his hands. He did as he had heard from Jiraiya's book, and used his thumbs to gently pull her open. He examined her, surprised, and licked her inner lips. Sakura's hands suddenly were in his hair, forcing his face deeper between her thighs.

She seemed to realize what she was doing, and whispered, "Sorry." She let go of his hair, but he murmured, "It's fine. Really. Do what you want." Then, he turned his attention to her delicate womanhood. He licked her, and soon enough, he entered her with his tongue. She moaned, "NARUTO! Ooh!" and he found that the way she said his name made him so hard it hurt. He slid his tongue in and out of her, licking her sweet fluids as well as caressing her insides. She was writhing, moaning incoherently. Then, he did just what Jiraiya had told him, in his book, that would drive a female to the edge of insanity. He found the tiny nub, the bundle of nerve endings super-sensitive to touch, and licked that. Sakura gasped and she whispered, "Yes! There!"

He licked her slowly, his tongue circling and flicking it. She was going mad, writhing and almost yelling. All she was saying was his name…and it drove him wild. He went faster, and started to feel her desperation. He went faster, and then sucked on her clitoris just as he did her nipple. She screamed, and he did something that he hoped would do the trick. He extended his right index finger, and then inserted it into her hot liquid core, quickly but gently…and she screamed and froze. "NARUTOOOO!" She screamed, and he felt her clamp around his finger. It was tight, hot…and he felt hot fluid seep from her. He moved his mouth to her slit and licked all the juices that poured from her tight insides. She seemed to be spasming on the inside, and he wondered how it would feel…? NO! He wouldn't think it. He was so close to losing control already…

Finally, Sakura stopped cumming, and he withdrew his finger. She went limp, panting. "Naruto…oh, Naruto." Sakura whispered, and he crawled up onto the bed and on top of her. He rolled them so they were on their sides, facing each other, and he grinned. Sakura was panting, looking dazed but content, and she whispered, "That…that was amazing."

He nodded. "I'm glad you liked it." He said, and she wrapped him up in a hug. She kissed him fiercely for a moment, and then broke the kiss. She looked at him, dead serious, and whispered, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He replied, just as serious, and suddenly…Sakura froze. "Oh." She murmured.

"Oh?" He asked, confused. Sakura blushed. "You're…really hard." He jerked, surprised, and looked down. He was still clothed, much to his relief and at the same time chagrin, but he was pressed against her abdomen.

He hastily tried to pull away, apologizing. "Sorry, sorry!" But her arms were firm and she didn't let him squirm away. She appeared embarrassed, but also confused. "Sorry for what?" She asked.

He froze, embarrassed. "For _that_." He said, clearly getting his point across without saying its name. He was surprised when her right arm moved from his shoulder, to between them. He groaned, and panicked, when her hand suddenly touched his erection. "You shouldn't be. It's natural…and that's what happens when we do this." She whispered. "Besides…it makes me feel good that I can do that to you." She whispered, half laughing.

He blushed a deep red as she began to play with him, gently stroking him. He wanted so badly to strip down, but he had to stay in control. She whispered, "Stop being such a control-freak. That's my job." He almost smiled.

She sat up, her right hand never leaving his groin, so she was sitting up next to him while he laid back. "I know what you were trying to do, when you…." She blushed. "Did _that _to me."

"BUT, I'm not deterred. I want you, and I want all of you. Just how you wanted all of me, and marked me…this is my way of doing that." She said firmly to him, and he frowned. "But I could lose control, I could hurt you, I could-mmph!" Sakura shut him up by clamping her hand over his mouth. She glared at him.

"Oh shut up, killjoy! A girl's first time always hurts, but if the right guy is considerate enough…he can make her feel better than anything in the world. I'm sure you can, if you'd stop being such an idiot!" She said. He blinked, surprised. "Now shut up, and let me do this. I know it hurts, but I'm the one who wanted it, and I'll gladly take that small pain if it means I can have _you._" She said, glaring. He was too surprised to reply, so she nodded.

"Good. Now...let me return the favor you did for me." She said, and his eyes widened. She got between his legs, and grabbed the waistband of his pants. She unbuttoned them, unzipped them, and pulled. She grabbed not just the waistband of his pants, but of his underwear as well, and she pulled them off easily. She gasped when his erection was revealed, and she forgot to keep pulling his pants down. She blushed almost as deep of a red as he did, and hastily pulled off his pants and underwear all the way.

She stared at his erection, and he blushed. She situated herself so she was now sideways on the bed, with her head near his crotch. Her hair obscured her face, until she brushed it behind her ear. She reached out with her right hand and gently gripped his hard member, and he screwed his eyes shut. Her hand was warm, but still felt cool compared to the heat of his member.

"Just relax, Naruto." Sakura murmured, and her hand moved up and down his shaft. He bit back a groan at how amazing it felt. He had jerked off many times before, but it hadn't felt nearly this good. She moved tortuously slow, but it felt amazingly good to have her do it. Then, he felt her tongue lick the head of his penis. His eyes flashed open, and he looked down at her. She looked back up at him and asked, "Is…that okay?"

He nodded dumbly, and then she licked from the base of his cock all the way back up to his head. He shuddered. Then, suddenly, her mouth closed around the head of his cock and he moaned. "Sakura…" He moaned, and she sucked on the head. He fisted his hands in the bed sheets, resisting the urge to fist his hands in her head and make her bob her head on his aching erection. But, then she actually did it.

She sucked while she bobbed her head down his cock and then back up. He didn't go deep in her mouth, but he ground his teeth. The feeling of her mouth was…hot, wet, and he was sure was second only to how he would feel inside of her. She continued to stroke his shaft as she slowly bobbed her head up and down and sucked on him. "Faster…Sakura." He whispered, as he clenched his hands tighter in the sheets. The pleasure was building, and he knew how close he would get soon. Sakura, without protest or comment, did as he said. Her bobbing, as well as stroking, grew faster and her sucking grew more intense.

He lost sense of time, as all he felt was her mouth around him, sucking him and urging him towards orgasm. He would whisper her name, moan, but do his best to lie still and not thrust his hips. He felt the pleasure, and pressure, slowly build, until he felt he was going to cum. "Sakura!" he whispered, and he opened his eyes and looked down at her. She didn't stop, but she did look at him out of the corner of her eyes as she sucked on him and bobbed. "I'm going to cum!" He whispered, frantically, as he felt himself approaching orgasm. Sakura moaned, and the vibrations ran along his member, and he grunted as he reached orgasm.

Sakura pulled back, and stopped bobbing her head, but didn't stop jerking or sucking. He shot his cum, but Sakura sucked and swallowed each spurt. He laid back as he finished, five spurts later, and panted. He almost blacked out, from the intensity of his orgasm. Never had he experienced it as intense as he just had. Sakura crawled up next to him, and lay there…as he controlled his breathing. He turned his head to look at her, and he saw a lazy smirk on her lips. "Thank you, Sakura." He murmured. "But, you didn't have to…do that."

She giggled slightly. "Idiot. You did it for me. I'm not going to take something I can't give, and to be honest…I didn't mind it at all. It was an interesting experience, and it wasn't bad at all." She gave him a soft smile. "Who knows…we might do it again, sometime."

He grinned, feeling his energy come back to him in a rush. "Well, I'm sure I'll look forward to it." He laughed. He rolled onto his side, and raised his right hand to her face. He stroked the soft skin of her cheek, and then moved his hand down. He traced down her neck, her soft shoulders, her arms, and then back up to her shoulders and down her ribs and to her hip…where he rested his hand. He examined her beautiful body without apprehension this time.

"You're so beautiful." He murmured, and looked back up into her eyes. She blushed slightly, and raised her own hand and rested it on his cheek.

"Thank you. You're very handsome yourself." She laughed softly, and then leaned in and kissed him chastely on the lips. She pulled back, and he looked at her curiously. He could feel her slight uncertainty through their bond…and he could see it on her face.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

She hastily reassured him, "Nothing's wrong. Nothing's ever been so right…but…" She bit her lower lip for a second. "If you don't want to do it all the way, we don't have to. I'm not going to," She giggled slightly for a second, "I'm not going to rape you."

He smiled slightly. "I do want to…but at the same time…" He shrugged. "I don't want to hurt you, or even lose control and end up being some uncontrollable animal that's only centered on his own pleasure."

She whispered, "I'm willing to risk the pain. It'll have to happen eventually. And…to be honest…" She looked away and blushed. "I _want_ to do it. I want to have you…inside of me."

Her words caused his body to respond, and he tried to block out the image that sprang to mind at her words. She looked between them, at his now hard-again member…and she whispered, "Please?"

He groaned and closed his eyes. "Sakura…I don't trust myself." He said.

"Then let me lead…I'll keep you in line." She murmured, and traced a hand down his bare chest, down his stomach, until she encountered what she wanted. She gripped him gently, and stroked him, and she whispered, "Please?"

He opened his eyes and locked his gaze with hers. "Sakura…if I hurt you, if you don't enjoy it…tell me to stop. If I don't stop…_make_ me stop." He said.

She rolled her eyes. "I trust you…and I don't think you'll be as bad as you think you will be." She whispered. She raised her free hand, that wasn't holding him, and stroked his face. "You love me too much." She murmured. "This is about give and take…equality, and love. Don't be so tense. Enjoy this…and I'm sure I will too."

Then, she raised her leg and threw it over his hips…and she rolled him onto his back. She straddled him, sitting on him so their groins touched. He could feel the heat from her as she rested along his length…and he ground his teeth. She looked down at him, and whispered, "Just…don't worry."

Then, she raised herself onto her knees so her hot core was above him. She reached down, and grabbed his shaft, and pointed him at her entrance. She was trembling slightly…and he could feel it. She could feel his concern, and she whispered, "I'm just…excited, that's all." Then, she closed her eyes lowered herself until his head touched her opening. Their heats touched, and she jerked in surprise.

Naruto was surprised at how wet she felt…and he wanted to thrust into her. But, he held himself still. Then, Sakura lowered herself slowly. She braced herself on his chest with her left hand, and held him and guided herself onto him using her right hand. He sucked in a sharp breath as her lips parted while his head slowly sunk into her. "Naruto!" His hands went to her waist, to help alleviate some of the weight, and she moaned as she lowered herself a bit more. He was beginning to stretch her almost uncomfortably, but was still a completely pleasant sensation. Then he got to her maidenhead. She breathed deeply and whispered, "Hold still, Naruto."

He replied, "Okay." Then, she lowered herself quickly, feeling the sharp pain as he broke through. He sank all the way inside of her, filling her completely. Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes, and she stifled a squeal of pain. Immediately, Naruto's hands left her waist and he brushed some of the hair away from her face. "Sakura?" He asked, panic in his voice.

"I'm…" She panted, trying to overcome the pain. "I'm okay. Just, try not to move…give me a moment." She said, keeping her eyes shut as she tried to deal with the throbbing pain inside of her. It wasn't a sharp, piercing pain anymore…now it was just a dull ache that was slowly subsiding.

"As long as you need." He whispered, and looked uncertainly at her. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how! It was frustrating, being helpless. But…at the same time, he was registering how hot she was around him…how tight. She was squeezing him, not uncomfortably, and her heat was extremely pleasing.

Sakura, on the other hand, was feeling the pain recede…and she really actually paid attention to how it felt to have Naruto inside of her. She had been stretched inside, but…as the pain faded, she realized she liked it. He was hot inside of her, and hard…and she shuddered slightly. It felt good, to be filled by his hard length. She wondered how it felt for him. For her, it felt…like she was whole. They were joined together in the most intimate of ways…and his member touching the deepest parts of her caused intense pleasure to roll through her body.

"Okay." She whispered breathlessly. She moved slightly, cautiously, and bit her lower lip at the small pleasure that came from the friction deep inside of her. She had hoped it would feel good…and she wasn't disappointed.

Naruto watched her carefully, making sure she was sure the pain was gone. She rocked slightly on him, and he clenched his teeth. Sweet Kami, she was so tight and hot and wet…and her moving on him like that...it felt like he had died and gone to heaven. "Sakura." He moaned, as she rocked a bit more on him…squeezing him experimentally with her inner muscles.

"See? It's not so bad…" She whispered to him, and then leaned down and kissed him on the lips. She kissed him for a few moments, feeling a bit lightheaded from elation. She had him as hers, on her own bed…and they were joined in the most intimate of ways. They were each other's…forever.

She raised herself up from him, moaning at the pleasure of the friction created, though so far he was only half out. Then, she lowered herself and whispered, "It's…so good." The feeling of him penetrating her, entering her…it was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She was glad she had been stubborn on this…and she was glad he had given in.

She set a slow, steady pace, as she rose up and down on him, and he began to gently thrust whenever she would lower herself. All concepts of time melted away, but Naruto was sure it wasn't long, and their pace increased. Soon, they were anxious…eager…sweating as they strained for their releases. Their pace was fast, but they didn't care. They were so close…

Naruto reached up to Sakura's neck as she rode him, panting and moaning, and guided her down to his lips and kissed her hard. As she still rode him, Sakura moaned into the kiss. The way she had bent forwards caused the angle at which he entered her to change a little…but enough that it stimulated her clitoris more directly. Their lips mashed hard together, and Naruto moved his free hand to Sakura's breasts. He caressed her, and then caught her nipples between his fingers. He pinched them gently, rolled them between his fingers, and Sakura suddenly whispered, "Naruto!" She broke their kiss, and met his gaze as his hands wandered her body. Her arms were on either side of his head as she rode him, and he became aware of how loud the sounds of their love-making were.

Their eyes locked. "I'm close…" She whispered, and he nodded.

"Me too." He said, as he thrust into her with a bit more as she rode him faster.

"But…I can't go fast enough. I want it faster…harder." Sakura panted. Naruto understood what she was asking.

He nodded, and swiftly raised his hands around her and cradled her to him. Then, he rolled them swiftly but gently so he was now on top. Sakura's legs immediately locked around his waist, pinning him to her hot center. His cock was buried all the way inside of her, but even during the roll neither of them had stopped moving. "Please…Naruto." Sakura whispered, and her legs unclasped from behind him. They spread wide, and he nodded. He started to go as fast as they had just previously been going, and he held himself over her with his hands as he penetrated her again and again.

"Sakura." He grunted, and thrust into her harder.

"Faster!" Sakura urged, and her hands reached down and grabbed the back of her knees. She pulled her legs up and kept them spread wide, and he grunted as it squeezed him tighter. He did as she said, and went as fast as he could while actually maintaining a rhythm. "Naruto! Naruto!" Sakura was whimpering, moaning.

"Sakura…_my_ Sakura." He moaned, and then she cried out, "NARUTO!"

Her walls clenched around him, spasming, and the tightening of her muscles as he pistoned in and out of her. But, the feeling of her tight spasming insides threw him over the edge and he came. "Sakura!" He cried. He threw his head back as he pushed himself as far as he could go into her, and she held him there securely with her inner muscles. He came inside of her, several times, and he collapsed onto his elbows…keeping his weight off her.

They lay there, panting, and Sakura looked up at him with a dazed expression. "See? I told you…it'd be fine." She panted. She raised her arms and pulled him down on top of her completely, her legs locking around his waist so he stayed submerged in her. His penis softened slightly, only semi-hard now, and he buried his face in her neck. He kissed the skin softly, affectionately. Having lost his own virginity, as well as taken his mate's…it was beyond the ability to describe. He nuzzled her neck, right on the complex mating seal.

"I love you." He murmured into her neck. "I love you so much."

Sakura stroked his bare back, and stroked the back of his head as well. He held her tight in a hug as well, and enjoyed the feel of her body melded to his. "I love you too." She replied, and kissed the side of his head.

They laid there for a few minutes, until Naruto rolled them over and let her lay on him. She laid her head on his chest, as he slipped out from inside of her. She felt warm, and she kept reliving the feeling of him filling her with his cum. She could feel a bit traveling out of her, but she didn't say anything. "Sakura…" Naruto said, and she stroked his firm chest absentmindedly as she basked in the after-glow of her second orgasm. But this had been much more intense than when he marked her. This time, he had been in her, apart of her…and she wanted more of it.

"Hm?" She asked, tracing lines up and down his chest, and traveling down one of his arms that held her to him. He stroked her hair, playing slightly with the red streaks in her hair. He absentmindedly realized he really liked the new hair. It…suited her.

"You'll probably get pregnant." He murmured. "I don't mind it...I'd love to have kids…but..."

"I can prevent pregnancy. Don't worry about it." She said softly, touched. He wouldn't mind having kids…and she knew exactly _when_ he'd want them. Once he brought Sasuke back and Akatsuki were gone. When he was sure his children would be safe. "I'm a medical ninja, remember?" She reminded him, sensing his un-asked question.

They were silent for a few more minutes, before Naruto murmured, "We need to go."

"Yes." She said, and sighed.

"We'll bring Sasuke back." He promised her, his voice grave.

She looked up at him from her position of lying on his chest. "Together." She whispered.

He nodded and looked down at her. "Together." He echoed.

__________________________________________________________________

*wipes sweat from forehead* Whew. That was honestly harder than I thought it would be. I don't know if it's any good…I hope it is. I did my best to get the point across, as well as remain not so explicit that the details are like 'AUGH!'. If this chapter isn't good, I'll delete it and move on. But still, I look forward to your feedback, readers.

(And as a side-note, I'm a virgin. I have not experienced any of this firsthand, just what I've read in books…and what some of my male and female friends have told me. Sorry if I got anything wrong. :/)

NEXT Chapter will be up soon, I hope! :) This is my NEW YEARS GIFT TO YOU!


	17. AUTHOR'S NOTE PT II! SUPER URGENT!

**Author's Note (Again)**

Dearest Readers,

Obviously, this is your Eager Author. ^_^ First off, I'd like to thank each and every one of you for your continued reading, reviews, and encouragement. Each review pumps me up, especially the larger reviews, stating what you hated and loved. It helps me, as an author, know where I might improve still. You all are so great, and I thank you for that.

I must apologize. The stories that you all have been enjoying so much...must be put on hold. It's not by choice that I do this, you must realize. My computer refuses to start, and on it are several items that you all have been waiting for. I have a best friend who will fix my computer for free, and when it is fixed...you will all get your chapters. T-T But there is a cloud to that silver lining. ;) My friend is away in Texas, and will not be back until the first or second week of March. It kills me to make you wait that long, but all of my finished chapters are trapped in my computer. I dare not try re-writing them, because I know it wouldn't be as good as it currently is. My computer is evil. I've threatened to burn it, wipe it, and do horrifying things to it, but it refuses to start, lol.

So, To all of my dearest readers (and dare I say fans?)...the stories you have been enjoying are on hold until March. Once March rolls around and my friend comes back (Thank God for the people who are technilogical brainiacs. ANd thank God for best friends who are smarter in those things than me and who will fix my computer free of charge) we'll be up and at 'em once more! I sincerely apologize. *gets onto ground and places forehead on ground as he bows* I beg your patience. If the previous wait was practically unbearable, I know this will be pure torture.

BUT! Your patience will be rewarded. The Chapters and Stories that wait you are as follows (PLEASE READ THROUGH ALL OF THEM, REGARDLESS IF YOU READ THE STORIES OR NOT. I HAVE SEVERAL NEW STORIES I'D LIKE YOU ALL TO BE INFORMED OF!!!!) :

_**For all you 'Lost in the Green Seas' Readers:**_

You will all get a non-existent cookie! ;p Sorry. Done joking. Anyways...you all will get Chapter 17. A brief summary:

_The Sasuke Retrieval Team, rejoined and re-vamped, head to the Valley of the End to head off Sasuke and capture him. Naruto opens the scroll from Jiraiya and Yugito, and is shocked at what he finds. Then...Sasuke appears and the battle of the Friends begins yet again. But...everyone is stronger, and Sasuke may just be outclassed. Or is he?_

I might even throw in Chapter 18! (That's if I can get it done in my hour breaks from work every day. I go to the library, and I check my email, etc...but I'll do my best to start that chapter. NO guarantees. I can't get alot done in an hour...not unless I'm practically burning alive with a creative fire)

_**For all you 'Pale Moon's Love' Readers:**_

Unfortunately, Chapter 9 (I think it was nine. U_U') is not finished. HOWEVER, you will get Chapter 9 for sure. I will complete the DAY OF MY COMPUTER'S REVIVAL! This, I swear on all 5 of my Naruto books, all 58 of my Naruto Episodes, all 2 of my Naruto movies...and my entire Manga collection! (Which, in my mind, is rather sizeable. XD) IT will be finished. Here's a brief summary:

_Hinata and Neji and Kiba all sit in vigil for Naruto...patiently waiting for Tsunade to revive the Comatose Naruto. However, even comatose, Naruto isn't safe. Neji stops an attempt on Naruto's life...too little too late. Will Naruto die so soon after confessing his love to Hinata? _

Sorry for the teaser. XD But still. That chapter will be updated the day of my computer's revival.

_**For all you 'Bleach: Listen to Your Heart' Readers:**_

I'm aware that this story has ended. Very aware. And, I'm touched by all of your reviews! Thanks so much for your support! I left the story with an abrupt ending and without Rukia revealing her Bankai...just to give you all a reason to want a sequel. XD I know. I'm so mean. XP But still. The Sequel will be put out on the day of my computer's revival. The first Chapter is written...and the second one was underway when my computer turned evil and decided to stop working. So...I'll give you guys the title. No summary, sorry, because my summary is in the comp. I'd like to keep it word for word, and I'm afraid I'll screw it up, lol. So, you'll get the title.

_'Bleach: Until the Day I Die' _- an IchixRuki love story! Obviously. ;) There WILL be other pairings in this one, however. Who it is...you'll have to see! XD But, as with 'Listen to Your Heart', this story is based off a song that I heard. I suggest you all look it up. It's by _'Story of the Year' _and is called _'Until the Day I Die'_. :) So, That's that. XD

**I have several new stories being contemplated, and that might be put on here.**

_**Omega Infiltration: A DOT HACK STORY! **_**I'm a Dot Hack fan, a little, and I decided to put up a story. Even if you guys haven't heard of Dot Hack, I suggest you check it out. I put alot of thought into it. I hope you guys check it out. It's first chapter is out already. The second will be written if I get reviews.**

_**BLEACH: Life and Death (Or known as Life of Battle): **_**This story is based off of the game I play: Bleach: Life and Death. It's similar to Dot Hack...just in the fact that it's based off of Virtual Reality, but it is a Bleach story type thingy. Not sure how to label it. U_U' but still. Please, check it out.**

_**Final Fantasy VII: The Last Fantasy (Rebirth)**_**: ****Based off of the 'Dirge of Cerberus' Game that I recently finished. lol. I've had it forever, but finally finished it! And, I had a thought...what if Vincent HAD died? Well, this is a Final Fantasy VII story to end all Final Fantasy VII stories! Here's the Summary: **

_**Pick up from 'Dirge of Cerberus'. Vincent actually died, unable to survive after defeating Omega. AFter two months, Cloud and co. are still saddened. But, the final threat to the world emerges...not wrought from Shinra or the planet...but from the stars. Shelke, eager to defend her new home, join's Cloud's side. VINxSHEL CLOUxTIFA (There will be two versions of this story. One 'T' for 'Death, Minor Language, Blood and Violence. The Second is 'M' for Death, Language, Blood and Violence, and Lemons.)**_

_**BLEACH: Comatose:**___**This story will be IchixHime. Hate me all you want, IchixRuki fans...but I was extremely caught up in the Orihime part of episodes 145+. Sorry, guys. But, I at least want to give her the happy ending she deserves. If it won't happen in Canon, which I believe it won't, then i can at least let her have a happy ending in my story. Please, forgive me, but I feel she deserves to be happy. T-T This will be 'M' or 'T'. It takes place during the whole 'Vaizard Training' arc thingy. XP Don't know the right name. But, when the Arrancar pop up and Ichigo has the Vaizard seeking him. The official summary is in work. lol. I've having trouble wording it right.**

_**And then just because I find this pairing interesting a possible:**_

_**BLEACH: Nine Lives**_**: This one is a YoruxIchi story. XD Yoruichi and Ichigo, I find interesting, honestly. This is set after Ichigo saves Rukia and heads back to the world of the Living. Ichigo comes back, and Yoruichi follows. At first, she believes it's only to keep an eye on Ichigo's 'Hollow'...but she begins to realize the boy fills the hole that Kisuke Urahara had left in her heart. How will their relationship turn out?**

So, with this out of the way, I must apologize. I humbly apologize for this evil turnout. I'm very displeased with it as well, mind you. Bringing you the stories is a great joy of mine, and my computer is robbing me of that! T-T So, please bear with me. ANd, lemme know in a review to this posted chapter, which stories you think you would like to read and which ones you wouldn't. I ask that you give the stories all a chance, and read the first chapters that I've posted out already. The ones up and coming...depending on Reviews....will be posted. Please, keep an open mind, mind you!!! If you know any fans of certain pairings that I'm doing, and you think they'd like it and they'd read it, make sure to let me know. I want to give all the stories at least one trial chapter, however. but still. please, review and let me know!

My deepest apologies once more.

Regretfully yours,

FlexRhysode1

AKA

Brandon


	18. Chapter 17

Lost in the Green Seas

Chapter 17

**A/N:** I'm sorry for the late update! Really really sorry. College has started again, and now I'm working full time. X_X MY BRAIN HURTS! I've been working hard to get my stuff done so I can write…but it's very difficult. I don't plan on abandoning this story, but updates are going to be hard. But, don't worry…it WILL be updated. PLUS, my computer SEEMS to be working now, lol. let's hope it hold up!

PREVIOUSLY:

_They were silent for a few more minutes, before Naruto murmured, "We need to go."_

"_Yes." She said, and sighed._

"_We'll bring Sasuke back." He promised her, his voice grave._

_She looked up at him from her position of lying on his chest. "Together." She whispered._

_He nodded and looked down at her. "Together." He echoed._

THE CONTINUATION:

Naruto and Sakura had parted company, and they both got everything they would need for this mission. It wasn't that far, but they would need traps, explosives…anything they could use against Orochimaru's men. Sakura also brought medical supplies, in case anyone was wounded. As the medic, she needed to be completely prepared, so she brought her sturdy backpack that held all of the necessary items for wounds ranging from splinters to gaping holes and lost limbs.

Naruto made sure to bring several scrolls, including the one Yugito had meant for him to have. He also brought his father's three-pronged Kunai knives, traps, explosive tags and kunai with explosive tags pre-wrapped around the handle. He added soldier pills, stamina and adrenaline shots, and pain-killers into the pouch on the back of his belt. He had considered wearing his father's trench coat, but decided he didn't need Orochimaru or Sasuke to know of his heritage just yet. Sasuke would find out anyways, when Naruto brought him back to Konoha.

Springing through the air, using the rooftops instead of the roads so he could go faster, he headed towards the gate he and his team were supposed to be meeting at. It was 5:45, and the dull red glow on the horizon, over the trees, signaled the approaching dawn. As he blasted towards the gate, he could see lights coming on, people starting to head to their jobs and carrying on their lives. He wondered if he would ever be able to settle down and do that. The crisp morning air kept him alert, and he began to slow down as he approached the gate.

He sprang off the last roof, adding a burst of Chakra so he would soar further, and saw the group of people already gathered and waiting at the gate. He soared through the air, and then landed a few feet from his friends. He hadn't broke a sweat, and he was still breathing evenly. He did a quick head-count.

Neji, Kiba, Choji, and Shikamaru were already here, looking relaxed…but Naruto knew they weren't actually relaxed. Akamaru was right next to Kiba, panting and grinning. "WHOAH!" Naruto cried. The last time he had seen Kiba and Akamaru had been at his 'Welcome Back' party…but Akamaru had been tiny.

Kiba grinned. "Hey. Yeah, the last time you saw him he was under a Henge." Kiba said, laughing. Akamaru, now standing on all fours, was as high as Naruto's waist at least.

"Naruto." Neji said casually, nodding his head.

"Sorry I'm late." Naruto said, and they all shrugged.

"No problem, really." Shikamaru said, surprising them all. "Once I got word I was chosen for the team, I've been on pins and needles, waiting. It's all been one big wait…so troublesome. I couldn't even sleep well. What a drag." He sighed.

Neji shrugged. "You're not the only one who's late. We are still missing Shino, Sakura, and Kakashi. And, we've been coming up with plans. So, it's not so bad."

Choji, wearing his strange new armor so he looked like his father, humphed. "Wish it wasn't so early, though." His long light brown hair was spiky and unruly, and Naruto winced.

"Sorry." He said. Choji shrugged, and then yawned.

"So, I was thinking about how we'd run. We won't be concerned about traps, or advanced scouts, most likely." Kiba said, and everyone looked at him. Kiba petted Akamaru on the head absentmindedly. "We can run in the same formation as last time. Except, have Sakura and Kakashi and Shino in the middle. Forsake stealth for speed, and then set up for an ambush."

Shikamaru shrugged. "That's the same thing I was thinking. Thanks to Jiraiya's spy network letting us know the time-frame for travel, we can get there fast, and set up traps to keep Orochimaru's forces at bay. We've got every advantage here."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "This time, we'll be able to rescue Sasuke." He said.

"Naruto…I know it's not my place…" Neji said, looking uncomfortable. "But what if Sasuke doesn't want to come back?" He asked.

Naruto blinked, and Neji winced. "Relax, Neji, I'm not mad." Naruto said softly. He looked out of the massive gate, out over the trees and at the rising sun. The red glow was growing brighter. "You may be right. He probably doesn't want to come home. He's still probably too caught up in wanting power to kill Itachi. But…"

Naruto gave Neji a sad smile. "That won't stop me from trying to beat some sense into him again. I've got an arsenal of my moves, and now my father's moves. No one alive could have beat the Yellow Flash when he was alive…and now I know almost every move he did. I'll be able to bring Sasuke back this time." He said, setting his jaw at the end of his little speech.

"And, Sasuke won't really have a chance to resist, not with all of us there." A voice said from behind Naruto. Naruto looked back over his shoulder.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei. Are you fully recovered from training yesterday?" Naruto asked. Kakashi smiled behind his mask.

"Well, Tsunade-sama had several medical ninja focus on replenishing my Chakra as soon as we got word of Sasuke this morning. I'm not at full yet, but I have stamina shots and soldier pills to help assist in converting stamina to Chakra and increasing my Chakra. No worries." Kakashi said.

"Naruto, when you said you know almost every move of your father's…did you mean you've learned…?" Kiba trailed off, and Naruto nodded.

"The Hiraishin. Yes." Naruto said. A hand ruffled his hair, and Naruto turned to see who it was. It was Sakura. She gave him a peck on the lips.

"Is everyone here?" She asked, casting a glance around.

"Whoah! Sakura!" Kiba cried, jabbing a finger in her direction. "What happened to your hair?" He asked.

Kakashi looked at her hair as well, his eyes wide. "Well…that's certainly a new look." He said lightly, not voicing his shock.

Sakura reached up and fingered a red strand of hair. "This? Well, it sorta just happened." She laughed, and Neji raised an eyebrow. Shikamaru shrugged.

"Looks good." Choji offered, grinning.

"Thanks Choji. Be careful, or your girlfriend might beat you for saying that." Sakura teased. Choji blushed, but laughed.

"Now we are all accounted for." A soft, raspy voice said. "I apologize for my tardiness, but I just received word twenty minutes ago. The Messenger could not find me in the forest for a while."

They all turned, jolting in surprise, and saw Shino walking towards them. He stopped a few feet from them, wearing the same outfit he had worn to Naruto's party. But, this time he had a black strap diagonal on his chest, and Naruto was sure he was carrying some sort of bag on his back.

"It's no problem Shino." Naruto reassured the Aburame. "Now that we're all here…let's get going. We're going in a straight line, with Kiba and Akamaru in lead. Then Shikamaru, me, Choji, Kakashi, Sakura, Shino and Neji will follow. As Kiba suggested, we'll be running fast, forsaking stealth for speed. We want to get the lay of the land, and get to set up any possible trap so we get the advantage." Naruto said, taking command. Everyone nodded.

"Shikamaru, I picked you, because I need your genius. I'll need you to help me out with any advice, seeing as I'm not used to this whole team-leading thing. You'll be our strategist. Kakashi, you're the same. Sakura's our medic, Kiba's our scout, along with Neji, and Choji and Shino and I are the main muscle. Choji, when we engage with Sasuke and Orochimaru's forces…you'll be up in it deep. But, do not use your third pill." Naruto said firmly. Choji nodded. "Neji and Kiba, once we've run out of traps, will help you. But, before you engage the enemy, we'll make sure to make them hit the most traps possible to cut down their numbers."

Naruto turned to Shino. "Shino…I chose you for this, because you suck Chakra out with your bugs." Shino nodded. "I'm going to need your help against Sasuke." He said. "I want Shikamaru's help as well." He added, casting a glance at Shikamaru. "If I keep Sasuke occupied, I want Shikamaru to try his Shadow Possession Jutsu…and then that's when I'll need you Shino."

"You wish for me to drain as much Chakra as possible from him?" Shino asked. Naruto nodded.

"We're not there for a personal fight." Naruto said firmly. "We're there to get Sasuke by any means, and bring him back. I'll bet Orochimaru and Kabuto will stay with Sasuke, Kabuto at the least, so we'll have to be fast. If Kabuto is there, I want Kakashi to take him. If Orochimaru is there…" Naruto trailed off. "Then I'll take him and leave Sasuke to you guys."

"No. I'll take him." A voice said. Naruto turned, hearing the sound of clogs tapping against the ground. Jiraiya nodded at Naruto as he neared. "I'm coming along. I'll take Orochimaru, and tie him up. Once you've got Sasuke, I'm going to have Gamabunta take me with him to where the summons live. Then, I'll have them take me back to Konoha. Simple as that. You send word to me through Gamakichi while I'm fighting Orochimaru…so I'll know when to stop. Just make sure you're far enough away, and going fast enough, that you won't have to worry."

"Then, we'll need to lay traps on our way there…covering our escape route." Shikamaru said, speaking up. Jiraiya nodded.

"That'd be good, yeah." He acknowledged.

"Great." Naruto said energetically. "With everyone here…there's no way in hell we can't get Sasuke back, dattebayo!" He said, grinning.

"Is everyone ready?" Kakashi asked, glancing around. At everyone's nod, he turned to Kiba.

"Okay Kiba…lead us on." Kakashi said. Kiba nodded, and turned to his massive dog.

"Akamaru, let's go!" He cried, and then they bolted through the gates. Everyone followed in the order Naruto had previously given them, but with Jiraiya behind Shino and in front of Neji. Naruto's hands gripped the straps of his backpack firmly, and he felt Sakura through his bond. She was just as anxious as he was. But this time, he was sure. This time, they would bring Sasuke back home.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Naruto sat, on the head of the first Hokage's statue carved at the Valley of the End…cross-legged and completely still. Preparations were complete, and now everyone was in their positions, keeping in touch with the wireless radios Kakashi had brought along. Kakashi had been forced to borrow several more wireless radios due to the number of people coming, but now everyone had one.

He was reliving every moment of his last battle with Sasuke. Tears dripped down his face, as he remembered the feeling of betrayal…just as strong as it had been then. His left hand reached up to his right shoulder, and grabbed the old Chidori scar through his clothing. He felt a searing pain run through it, and he hissed in reaction to the pain. He forced his face to become blank, emotionless, and he pushed the memories away. Sasuke wasn't due for another two hours.

He raised his right hand, the hand holding the scroll from Yugito. He wiped away his tears with his left arm, and then nodded. "Time to open it." He said.

He took a breath, and grabbed the edge of the start of the scroll. Then, he yanked it open. He began reading.

'_Naruto-sama,' _He read, and he cringed. He hated that name, as she did. She was a proud woman, and she hated addressing Naruto as that. But, Naruto was the holder of the Kyuubi…the demon much stronger than her own. The Nibi had been a respectful, even though she was prideful, female demon. She had almost been the Kyuubi's mate once, the Kyuubi had told him, but she had disliked the fact she was so much weaker than he. But, Yugito had fallen into the 'Naruto-sama' thing, and as much as they both hated it…they couldn't change it. He continued to read.

'_If you're reading this, I've died. But, I've known I would die before long anyway. The ninja from the Land of Lightning would not stop trying to attain my power, even if I were to go to Konoha with you. You haven't brought it up yet, but I knew that you would soon. I can see how excited you get when that perverted sensei of yours talks about that place. I can almost see your visions of us living together in Konoha, being friends for life, being some of the strongest ninja. But your dream isn't for me. I know my time is up. I don't know how, call it woman's intuition or maybe it's the Nibi's premonition…but I will die soon._

_I've loved being with you. I've never felt this way. All my life, I've been on the run. I've been rejected, gawked at, spat at and beaten. And you share my burden. For the first time in my life, I feel like I belong. Nibi and I are both happy. Nibi, though a demon, isn't happy that she's been the cause for my suffering. She's happy that I'm happy, that I feel I belong. That…I love you. I know that you love this pink-haired girl that you've shown in pictures. But, I love you. If I didn't know that my time was up…I would walk up to you and admit it even as I'm writing it. I know that you'd choose me then. The attraction between Demon Hosts, is strange but very strong. You would have chosen me. But, right now, it's too late._

_So, to keep on that track, even though I'm dead and gone…your tale has touched me. You had friends, and a young man you felt was a brother. That brother betrayed you, so he could search out enough power for vengeance upon his real brother. I cannot think of anything except of how I would have ripped such a betrayer into shreds. But you…you empathize with him. You see how much it hurt the young boy to live with how his older brother destroyed and murdered his family. You don't blame him for leaving, though you wish he hadn't. I know that you will bring him back, when you get strong enough. It's not just a premonition. It's faith, that compels me to tell you this. Even if you fail to bring him back the first, or second, or even third time…you'll never give up._

_For when you do go to bring him back, I have good news for you. The first, is for both of our sakes. I've seen how meeting others like you makes you happy, makes you feel you aren't surrounded by people who might harbor secret resentment in their hearts. So, I give you this gift. To make you happy, and to make me feel like I can make you happy. The Nibi's special ability is to be able to locate any of the other Tailed Beasts, whether in a host or free and wild. I have included a scroll, with Jiraiya's assistance, that holds all of their locations. Search around these areas, and you will find the others. Just swipe your blood on the first seal at the bottom of the scroll._

_The second bit of good news, and another gift, is for your more immediate use. Whenever you battle that boy, Sasuke, you will need this gift. I have a certain affinity for lightning, and your perverted Sensei thinks that boy will be taught more Ninjutsu with Lightning abilities. So, I give you a talisman of my own making. Well, Nibi's and mine. Should he attempt to strike you with any externalized form of lightning, except for this Chidori move, this Talisman will absorb it. If he coats the lightning substance over weapons, the talisman will absorb the charge, and you will only have to worry about dodging the weapons…or if the weapons cut you, they will only be plain weapons. Wear this, in your battle. Swipe your blood across the second seal at the bottom of the scroll._

_My purpose is fulfilled. I am glad that I die soon, to be honest. That means Akatuski will not be the ones to catch me and kill me. Their plans will be foiled. They will not be able to catch Nibi and contain her. Once I die, Nibi will go to the void, but she will not die. Her form will grow anew, and she will live. It is how the seal in my body functions. It is not how yours functions, so don't get any ideas, Kyuubi. But regardless, Nibi will be safe while Akatsuki's plans are foiled at least a little. Thank you so much for giving me this sense of belonging, of being loved, of allowing to love. It's been…more than enough happiness to counter-act all of the suffering of my life. You have allowed me to be able to face death happily, content. I will say this, because I will never have another chance. I love you, Naruto. Live long. See me in the afterlife. Fight well, bring that boy back, bring that girl love…and bring your nation protection. Your dreams will come true. You've made mine come true, so thank you. Now go and catch your dreams._

_Yugito'_

Below her name were two seals. Naruto set the scroll down and shook his head. Yugito had loved him. That would explain the moments where he had caught her looking at him, smiling slightly. She would look away, and a few times she would blush. Very 'un-Yugito'-like. She was tough, proud…but very attractive. He could admit that. But still. To think that she had loved him…

He quickly bit the skin of his thumb, breaking the skin, and swiped the blood across the second seal on the page. He would save the first scroll for later. With a puff of smoke, an item appeared on the scroll. It was a small carving of a cat, with two tails instead of one, and he stared at it. It was a necklace, so he could wear it next to his heart at all times. _'I know that you'd choose me then.' _Yugito's soft voice echoed in his head. Yes…yes he would have. He knew it, just as strongly as he knew that Sakura was his only future right now. Had Yugito spoken her mind then, he would have fallen for her. Attraction between Demons and Demon Hosts…it would have been unavoidable. He was glad, though, that Yugito hadn't told him. That she had allowed him to stay in love with Sakura.

He grabbed the soft leather cord that the cat was strung on, and lifted it over his head and put it on. It rested on top of the jewel necklace from Tsunade, and he nodded. "Thanks…Yugito." He whispered, and he felt the Kyuubi was aware of everything he had just read and found out. _'Do you think you'll get to see Nibi again?'_ Naruto asked softly.

'_**I don't know. I may be stuck with you for eternity.'**_ The Fox said softly. _**'Or maybe there was a catch to your father's seal that you could willingly let me loose. I don't know. Your father was a genius, much to my chagrin, and I underestimated him that night. I never should have let him have the time to prepare his attack. My over-confidence and arrogance was my undoing. Regardless…I don't know if I'll ever see her again. I would like it if I did. I wanted her for my mate, and I still do.'**_

'_I'm sorry.'_ Naruto said, genuinely apologetic. At the moment, he wished he could set the fox free, so the Fox could go to Nibi and be with her. Nibi deserved to be comforted. He was sure she was heartbroken over the loss of her host.

'**I'm sorry, too, for your loss. She was a wonderful woman. She didn't hate her demon, I could tell. She was like how we are now. If I was let free, I couldn't harm you or Konoha. Weeks ago, I would have. But now…I've felt more sorrow and heartache than I ever though possible. We're bonded.'** The Kyuubi murmured. Naruto could feel the truth of the Demon's words. Their relationship had turned from antagonistic, to companionship. Their relationship had changed sometime in the past few weeks, probably after the loss of Gaara and Shukaku.

"Naruto?" A soft voice whispered from behind him.

He smiled and closed his eyes. "Sakura." He murmured. He stood, and turned to face her, opening his eyes.

Sakura stood there, looking hesitant. Her eyes were locked on the new necklace, and then they darted to the scroll on the ground. "What is that?" She murmured.

"A gift from Yugito. It'll absorb any lightning attack that Sasuke throws at me…except for Chidori." Naruto said. He fingered that cat-pendant thoughtfully. "Which is probably why in your vision, Sasuke was only using Chidori to kill me. He'll figure out that I'm protected, and then he'll nail me with two Chidori."

Sakura shifted uncomfortably. He could tell that it was a sore subject for her. She didn't want to think of him, bleeding and wounded severely. He walked up to her and wrapped her up in a hug, feeling her negative emotions. "I'll be fine, Sakura." He whispered.

She stiffened in his hug. "Having two Chidori rammed through you is far from fine." She mumbled into his chest. He nodded.

"True enough. But I can handle it." He said.

Sakura whispered, "Just be careful. Please."

"I will be careful. I promise." He replied, stroking her hair softly.

"Naruto, come in." Jiraiya's voice suddenly crackled in their ears. Naruto reached up with his left hand, keeping his right hand around Sakura and holding her to him, and activated his mic.

"Yeah, Pervy Sage?" He replied. Sakura buried her head in his chest deeper, smelling his scent. He kissed the top of her head, and listened for Jiraiya's reply.

"I've gotten word from my spy that Orochimaru and the main force have split off from Sasuke. Sasuke, Kabuto, and about fifteen men are headed here. They'll make it here in half an hour." Jiraiya said, his voice betraying his worry.

Naruto nodded. "Good. Less of a risk for everyone. Okay then, slight change of plans. The rest of you kill the fifteen men, and Kakashi gets Kabuto. Sakura and I get Sasuke." He said.

"But I thought this wouldn't be a personal fight?" Kiba asked through his radio.

Naruto pursed his lips. "To be honest, I was expecting everything to be worse. But now, you guys can concentrate on and eliminate the spares. Sakura and I can deal with Sasuke. I've been thinking about it anyways, and I think it'll be better if I fight Sasuke with Sakura." He replied.

"Naruto…your logic is tainted by emotion. It would be better for all of us to converge on Sasuke once his guards are gone." Shino rasped into his mic.

"I agree with Shino, Naruto. You going against Sasuke one on one lessens our survival chances." Shikamaru spoke up.

Naruto winced. "By how much?" He asked.

"By 25%. If you die, he might be drained of enough chakra that we can take him out…but not without one or two of us being critically wounded or dead." Shikamaru replied.

"Shikamaru, you're forgetting something." Kakashi chided gently. "Naruto is a Special Jonin, knows almost every single technique of the Fourth Hokage's, and can go into a tailed state, as well as a few other tricks. He's got Jiraiya, the world's best seal master since the Fourth, and me, as back-up. And Sakura, as well, to heal him from wounds and keep him from being trapped in Genjutsu."

"I've been keeping that in my calculations." Shikamaru said grumpily. "But with how much we don't know about Sasuke's abilities, I can't take the chance. Our survival rate is still 25% if Naruto goes one on one with Sasuke. He could die." Shikamaru said.

Naruto looked down at Sakura, whose eyes were pleading with him not to do what he was about to. "Guys…I'm going to need to ask for you to promise you won't interfere if Sasuke and I fight." He said, meeting Sakura's eyes and begging silently for her understanding.

"Naruto…" Jiraiya said, his voice disappointed.

"I promise. I have faith in you, Naruto." Neji said, surprising everyone. They had all thought the cautious Hyuuga would be the hardest to convince. "If you can take out several S-class Criminals almost on your own…I don't think Sasuke should be too hard. Even if he's good…I believe you can bring him home." Neji said.

"I promise. If it was Shikamaru gone bad, and I was you…I'd ask the same thing." Choji said.

"Choji…" Shikamaru sighed. "Troublesome." He muttered.

"I promise. But if you fall, we're all taking him." Sakura said, into her mic so everyone heard her. Her eyes were starting to fill with tears.

"I promise." Kakashi said.

"I promise." Kiba sighed.

"Fine. I promise." Jiraiya grumbled. "But, if you don't look like you're going to make it, I'm jumping in, gaki."

"I promise." Shikamaru sighed.

"I give my word, no matter how illogical you are being." Shino rasped.

"Good. Thank you, guys. This means a lot to me." Naruto said, and closed his eyes.

"Okay, guys. Let's go. Get in position. We've got a surprise for Sasuke and his friends." Naruto said. Sakura leaned up and kissed him on the lips fiercely. He kissed her back, and sent a calming wave through their emotional bond.

"I love you." He whispered, breaking the kiss.

"Not as much as I love you." She murmured. He didn't argue. He knew that if she had been the one making the demands he was, he never would have been able to live with it. She indeed loved him more, for letting him do this.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Sasuke was annoyed. He didn't show it, but he was annoyed. Kabuto had insisted on coming along with a small accompaniment of guards, and now Sasuke had them in tow. He had wanted to go to the Valley of the End so he could have a few moments to himself…where he could indulge in memories of his past. But no. Kabuto had to come along. _'Just in case of difficulties.'_ Sasuke sneered in his head.

Suddenly, Sasuke heard a 'click'. _'Booby-trap!'_ He thought, and he instantly dodged an incoming hail of shuriken initiated by him triggering a string-booby trap. The Shuriken sailed past him, into the company of guards behind him, and he heard screams. He didn't have time to think of anything else, as suddenly he spotted exploding kunai flying at him.

He initiated his Sharingan, and saw chakra sources all over the place. His blood ran cold. They were in the middle of a booby-trapped forest. He dodged a windmill shuriken, and then sprang off to the side to dodge the blast of an exploding tag. He ignored the screams of pain, the sound of screams being silenced after sick, slicing sounds…and focused only on the booby traps. They were well laid. He was only just avoiding them, even with his three-tomoe Sharingan.

He dodged flying shuriken again, ducked underneath an exploding Kunai, and then used Shunshin to soar past a large amount of stringed exploding tags. He used Shunshin again, and again, and again, to avoid attacks that encompassed him on all sides. He couldn't understand who would booby-trap this section of land. There were no villages, except for Leaf, nearby, and Orochimaru hadn't ordered his lands to be booby-trapped. But then, he stopped. Small snowflakes rained around him, and he just barely saw the small bits of ink on them identifying them as miniature exploding tags.

'_Sakura.'_ His mind whispered to him, as he remembered this attack. Sakura had first used this attack against Snow Ninja, back on one of their toughest missions. They were to escort the actress Yukie Fujikaze to a filming location. But, it had all turned into a rather complicated mission after Snow Ninja attacked them. So Sakura was here? How had she known?

He Body Flickered away, as far as he could go, and he just barely missed the explosion radius. It whipped his hair and clothing wildly, and debris flew past him…but nothing hit him. He blinked, and looked out over the cliff he was on. He was looking over the Valley of the End.

"Sasuke-kun." A breathless voice murmured. Sasuke fought back the urge to stab the persistent man behind him. Kabuto had survived. Oh joy.

"You made it." Sasuke replied.

"Yes. Along with seven guards. It appears that we've been expected." Kabuto panted, and Sasuke turned slightly to regard the young man. He blinked in surprise as he saw that Kabuto was bloody all over, but healing himself rapidly.

"Yes. We've been expected. I recognized that last booby-trap." Sasuke murmured. He looked around with his Sharingan, and raised his voice.

"I know you're out there…Sakura." He yelled, and Kabuto laughed.

"I suspected as much." Kabuto said. Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he saw something.

"You and your men are going to want to defend yourselves. It's not just Sakura." Sasuke said. Suddenly, three blurs blasted past him, not bothering to try to take him on. He saw them clearly with his Sharingan. _'Kiba Inuzuka with his dog, Choji Akimichi, and Neji Hyuuga.'_ He thought. Then…someone landed at his side.

"Hello, Sasuke." The person said. Sasuke regarded the Sharingan-wielding Jonin.

"Kakashi. Where's Naruto?" He asked, sounding bored. But he was actually quite anxious. Naruto usually would have been the first one to try to attack him. Was something wrong with Naruto? Had he been captured by the organization Orochimaru had said was on the move…Akatsuki?

Kakashi smiled underneath his mask. "Well, he's waiting for you. I don't see any point in extending this. If you'll excuse me, I'm not after you. Naruto wanted you for himself." Kakashi said, and Sasuke nodded. Of course. Kakashi looked at Kabuto, his gaze hardening. His revealed Sharingan blazed a bloody red. "You, however…are mine." He said. Sasuke could remember that tone. It was the same tone he used when he faced Zabuza Mamochi…and told him that his future was death. Kakashi was serious.

"Oh, I get to go against you yet again, Kakashi?" Kabuto asked, laughing. He pushed his glasses up higher onto his nose, and grinned. "Well, I do believe I'll enjoy this." He admitted. Kakashi pulled out a Kunai.

"Not as much as I will." Kakashi growled, and then he sprang at Kabuto. Sasuke turned away from them, uninterested in their fight. He spotted something orange on a cliff-side a little bit away. _'Naruto.'_ He thought.

He Shunshinned. He flew towards the orange speck, and knew full well what he would find even before he landed easily on the Cliff. Naruto stood there only five yards away, hands at his sides, wearing an orange and black jumpsuit jacket instead of his old blue and orange one. The slim black collar looked much better, over that ridiculously large white one. His pants were certainly more stylish, and his hair was longer and more unruly. But his eyes were the same sparkling blue Sasuke remembered.

They locked gazes, and Sasuke felt something he hadn't expected. Happiness. He was happy to see Naruto. He was glad to see the blond was healthy, alive…and unharmed. He obviously wasn't maimed still from that Chidori that Sasuke had used the final time at the Valley. Sounds of combat reached their ears, but neither one looked away. Sasuke could see Naruto's impatience.

Sasuke decided he would be the one to break the silence. "Dobe…what are you doing here?" He asked harshly. He allowed himself to show a little bit of irritation.

"I'm here…to bring you home." Naruto whispered hoarsely, his eyes shining with a little bit of tears. Sasuke stared, hiding behind his unemotional mask, at the blond. Naruto looked happy to see him. Genuinely happy.

Sasuke and Naruto were silent longer, and Sasuke said, "You never give up, do you?"

Naruto smirked, that annoyingly pleased smirk at getting a 'compliment' even though it was an insult, and Sasuke wanted to act like he used to. He wanted to turn his back and insult Naruto, just to get a rise out of the blond. But he couldn't afford to show that familiarity.

"Nope. I've trained like hell to be able to get strong enough to fight you and bring you home. I even crammed some new moves in my brain during the last few days." Naruto said, and Sasuke fought back mild surprise. So he had been expected for the past few days?

"Where's Sakura? I noticed her little booby-trap." He asked, and he saw Naruto's gaze harden slightly.

"I'm here…Sasuke." The familiar voice said, from off to the side. Sakura walked towards him, from inside the woods that surrounded the Cliffside. Sasuke allowed a small twitch of the eyebrow as he noticed her new hair-coloring. Cherry red streaks in her pink hair. She looked…beautiful. She strode to Naruto's side. She still wore that same red top that she had years ago, but now she wore tight green shorts, a white over-skirt over that, white elbow pads, and black leather gloves over her hands. Her headband was tied back in her hair…as usual. But still. She was physically more mature, and more attractive than he remembered.

"Sakura." He said, greeting her.

Sakura's bright green eyes regarded him with happiness, excitement…and a tad bit of sadness. "Sasuke." She replied, and he felt the slight sting at how she didn't call him 'Sasuke-kun' anymore. She stood at Naruto's side, facing him.

"It's kinda pointless to ask, seeing as I know what you're gonna say…but will you come home without a fight?" Naruto asked, his voice sad and his eyes even sadder. Sasuke clenched his jaw.

"Konoha…is not my home." Sasuke said firmly.

Naruto nodded. "I knew you'd say that." He said sadly.

"Why ask?" Sasuke retorted. Naruto shrugged.

"Why bother asking why I ask?" Naruto fired back. Sasuke seethed on the inside, but kept his face emotionless. Damn Naruto! He could get under your skin like no other!

"Regardless. Why come here…when you should be practicing? If you're so strong…are you Hokage yet?" Sasuke fired off, almost instantly regretting the bitter words he fired off. Naruto's head lowered.

"Do I deserve to be Hokage, Sasuke? If I can't even help one friend come back to the light, what good would I do a village?" Naruto asked softly.

"I'm not going back." Sasuke said firmly. Naruto looked up at him, grinding his teeth.

"I'll keep my promise to Sakura. I'm bringing you back. Just like I said last time. If I have to break every bone in your body and drag you all the way back myself…I'm taking you home." Naruto growled. Sasuke shook his head.

"You don't stand a chance, Dobe." Sasuke said.

"Sasuke…please. Come home. Come back with us." Sakura pleaded. Sasuke felt his heart miss a beat, and he clenched his jaw. He didn't bother to answer them with words. He reached to his waist, to the handle of his sword. That was answer enough.

Naruto bent his knees slightly, and he growled, "I'm gonna have to beat some sense into you?" Sasuke only narrowed his eyes. He moved as fast as he could, Shunshinning so fast he was sure not even Orochimaru would have been able to track him. He had withdrawn his sword, and now the tip of it rested on Naruto's back.

"Dobe, you don't stand a chance. Go home." Sasuke threatened, resting casually on Naruto's shoulder. Sakura flinched and stepped backwards into a defensive position. Sasuke ignored her for the moment.

"I already told you. Not without bringing you back." Naruto replied angrily, but he didn't move. Cold steel pricked into his skin, and he fought the urge to use Hiraishin. He couldn't reveal his biggest weapon yet.

"I didn't kill you last time, because I didn't want to get power Itachi's way." Sasuke warned him. "But this time…I'll be forced to kill you. Leave. It's your last chance."

Naruto growled, "You'll have to kill me then."

Sasuke shrugged casually, but inside he felt sick. Naruto was forcing his hand. He pushed the blade into Naruto's back with the sound of a sick, wet, slice. Naruto cried out, but wrapped his arms up around Sasuke's neck. Sasuke choked for a second before he shoved the blade all the way through Naruto's body. Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Sasuke cursed mentally as he brought his blade up and deflected five well-aimed Shuriken.

Then, he saw four orange and black blurs fly towards him. Thanks to his three-tomoe Sharingan, he could see them slow enough to hit them. But, their speed was incredible_. 'Has Naruto progressed that much?'_ He thought, as he sliced each of the Clones' throats. They exploded in a puff of smoke, and he darted in towards Sakura. He didn't plan to harm her…just force Naruto into revealing himself.

Sakura, however, ran right at him as well. He hid his surprise as she punched at him, and he blurred around to her backside. But then, she spun as well, with more speed than he remembered her having. He leaned backwards as he saw her fist coming at him, and he saw the surge of Chakra into her fist. _'Precision Chakra Control and Release…Kabuto uses it to increase physical damage.'_ He thought, as he flipped backwards out of Sakura's range.

He ducked underneath of a roundhouse kick from Naruto, who had tried to attack his back, and spun and sliced Naruto's legs. That Naruto exploded in a puff of smoke. Then, Sasuke was forced to duck underneath Sakura's punch, and he was about to punch _her_ to immobilize her. His fist, his left fist, was blocked by a hand. He glanced up, surprised, and saw Naruto standing there, glaring.

"Dobe." Sasuke taunted, and then stabbed Naruto. Sakura spun away right when Naruto exploded into smoke. Sasuke bit back frustration. Of all the Naruto's he had killed, not one had been the real one.

"**RASENGAN!"** Naruto's voice yelled, and Sasuke's eyes widened as Naruto flew towards him head on. _'That idiot!' _Sasuke sneered, and released one of his newer moves.

"**Chidori Nagashi!"** Sasuke cried, and released his quickly-built-up Chakra. He released a Chidori current from his body, surrounding him in a large field, and it struck Naruto head on, and caught Sakura's arm as she attempted to escape its range. Sakura cried out, and he regretted using the move. The Naruto simply came charging through, much to Sasuke's surprise. He ducked underneath of the blue spiral Chakra Sphere, and stabbed Naruto in the gut. Naruto exploded in a puff of smoke, and Sasuke almost screamed in frustration.

He ducked underneath a hail of Kunai, and darted in towards Sakura. Naruto beat him there, appearing with a streak of orange and black and yellow. Sasuke stared, disbelievingly, as he saw the speed at which Naruto moved to intercept him. It was faster than the Shunshin. Naruto blocked both of Sasuke's hands, grabbing both of them in his own, and Sasuke struggled against him. Their faces were inches from each other, and they glared deep into each other's eyes. Piercing blue met bloody red, and Naruto growled, "Sakura…stay out until your arm regains feeling."

Then, Sasuke headbutted Naruto, and sheathed his sword. He punched Naruto several times in the stomach, and then ended with a flip-kick to Naruto's chin. Naruto went spinning backwards, flying over the edge of the cliff. Sasuke Shunshinned to Naruto, and grabbed Naruto's legs in a hug and then wrapped his legs around Naruto's chest so Naruto couldn't break free.

"Falcon Drop!" Sasuke yelled, and they plummeted downwards towards the rocky shore. Sasuke gritted his teeth as he relived this exact maneuver from three years ago. His stomach flew to his throat as he plummeted downward, and then he hit the ground. Naruto's head crunched into the rocks, just like last time, and Sasuke let go of Naruto and stood gracefully. Naruto was rigid…until he exploded in a puff of smoke.

Fed up, Sasuke looked around and commanded, "Dobe, quit with the theatrics."

Four Windmill Shuriken flew at him from all sides, and Sasuke sneered. "Che." He laughed, and then sprang into the air. The Shuriken clashed underneath of him, and he looked up. Sakura flew down towards him, fist extended. He grabbed her wrist, moving her wrist so he avoided the Chakra-infused punch, and threw her down to the ground. Naruto streaked into existence right below them, on top of the useless Shuriken, and caught Sakura. Sasuke watched with interest as Naruto's knees got cut as he knelt on the Shuriken and caught Sakura. _'So he still does everything he can to protect her, regardless of the damage to his own body.'_ Sasuke thought, as he slowly fell back down towards them. He changed the angle of his flight so he flew back down, head-first, and he extended his left hand. **"CHIDORI!"** He roared, and flew at the two Leaf Shinobi.

Naruto looked up, and surprised Sasuke with the bloody-red animalistic eyes and sudden killer intent. Sasuke flew towards them nonetheless, but Naruto moved at the last second. Sasuke fist slammed into the shore, creating a large explosion, as Naruto streaked away with Sakura. His fist buried into the rock, creating a crater, but he pulled it out almost instantly. The smoke cleared, and Sasuke saw Naruto standing out on the water, next to Sakura. Sakura seemed to be in shock.

"You…you're really serious." She whispered, and Sasuke regarded her boredly. But…he felt sick. He hadn't tried to kill her. Only Naruto. But…she had the same look on her face Naruto had all those years ago…when he realized Sasuke was completely serious about killing him. She looked as if she had been betrayed by her best of friends, or maybe by her closest family member. Sasuke wished he could tell her, _'No, I'm not trying to kill you. Only the dobe.'_ But he knew it wouldn't make a difference.

A tear leaked out of Sakura's eyes and ran down her cheeks, and he clenched his jaw. _'Sakura…'_ He thought.

"Yes…he's serious." Naruto replied to Sakura, as his whisker marks thickened. "He's dead serious…just like last time." He rasped, and Sasuke reached for his sword again.

"No…not like last time. This time, I will kill you. You've forced me to it, Naruto." Sasuke said, staring at his blond ex-comrade.

He drew his sword and Shunshinned, but Naruto used the strange speed technique to meet him head on. Sasuke dodged a punch, letting it pass by his face by a mere inch, and then tried to ram his sword into Naruto's ribs. Naruto streaked away, and Sasuke spun and grabbed Naruto's fist that was flying towards his face. He tried once more to cut Naruto, but Naruto streaked away.

"I'm stronger, Sasuke." Naruto said, and Sasuke looked around for him. He was once more by Sakura's side. "I'm stronger than you…stronger than Orochimaru, I'll bet." Naruto boasted.

"You never change. Always over-confident and annoying." Sasuke fired back. Naruto's eyes narrowed, and Sasuke glared right back. Blood red met blood red…and Sasuke smirked.

"One little speed technique isn't worth anything." Sasuke said, and then Shunshinned forwards. He thrust the sword not at Naruto, but at Sakura. He knew Naruto would jump in the way…and Naruto didn't disappoint. He changed his thrust to a slash, so he wouldn't plunge through Naruto and hit Sakura. He cut Naruto from his left hip to his right shoulder, but Naruto stepped slightly out of range so it didn't cut to the bone.

Blood spurted from Naruto's chest, and Sasuke slashed several more times. Blood erupted from Naruto's body, now cut at his shoulders, biceps, stomach, and legs. Naruto stumbled backwards into Sakura's arms, and Sasuke spoke softly but loud enough to be heard by them. "You're a fool. You're too predictable, too easy to anticipate." He taunted. Then, he blinked in surprise. Sakura started healing Naruto quickly, sealing gashes as she held him up. Sasuke sped forward, surprised at seeing her use medical Ninjutsu. Naruto sprang forward to meet him, and they exchanged a flurry of blows. Or rather, Sasuke blocked Naruto's and returned them and hammered Naruto. Naruto stumbled backwards, and Sasuke sheathed his sword gracefully.

"Sakura…I take it you were trained by Tsunade?" Sasuke asked, keeping his voice unemotional. But he was really quite surprised.

Sakura nodded, and Naruto panted and held some of his bleeding wounds. "I've trained hard so I can help Naruto bring you back." She said, and she attempted to step forward and heal some of Naruto's cuts.

Sasuke Shunshinned, and grabbed her wrist. He ducked underneath of Naruto's punch and said, "I don't think so…Sakura." Then, he punched her in the stomach. She flew backwards, crying out, and rolled to the rocky shore. Sasuke danced out of Naruto's range easily, and then darted underneath an over-extended punch and punched Naruto hard in the face. Naruto stumbled backwards, and Sasuke unsheathed his sword yet again. He darted in to stab Naruto, but was surprised to see two Naruto's streak into existence and intercept him. He dodged a flurry of well-coordinated punches and kicks, but then dispatched the Clones easily.

Then…he realized Naruto wasn't in front of him anymore. He spun as he heard the sound of feet running across the water from behind him. Two Naruto's, holding a Rasengan twice as large as the Rasengan that Naruto had previously formed and the Rasengan had a red glow to it, ran towards him. His eyes widened as they streaked towards him faster than he could react to. **"OODAMA RASENGAN!"** One Naruto roared, and Sasuke did the only thing he could think of. He brought his sword up, which was made of indestructible steel, to block the blazing red Rasengan.

The power that exploded from the Rasengan sent him flying back, out into the open area of the lake. His sword vibrated in his hand, and he screwed his eyes shut as he went flying backwards. He felt sick to his stomach as he flew backwards at a mind-numbing speed, and he waited until he was sure it was safe to slow his flight to put his feet on the water surface to slow himself. Water blasted up from his feet as he leaned forward, and within twenty yards…he stopped. He opened his eyes, and stared in shock at the sword that he had held up.

The blade extended only five inches from the hilt…and jagged edges showed where his indestructible sword had shattered. He looked across the lake, and saw Naruto panting heavily. _'So that Rasengan pulls a lot of power out of him.'_ Sasuke noted. He glanced at his shattered sword again. _'So he's serious as well. He meant to hit me with it…but if that happened, I would have died.'_ He frowned. _'No. He knew I'd counter or block somehow. He's not that stupid.'_

He started slowly walking back towards Naruto, who now had Sakura at his side, attempting to heal some wounds. He had learned to enhance his hearing by focusing Chakra into his ears, to increase the sensitivity, so he applied that technique. "Naruto…why would you use that move? You could kill him by doing that!" She was whispering.

"I did it, to show him I'm serious. I knew he'd block, Sakura-chan. He always does. But now he knows not to underestimate me." Naruto murmured back, his whisker marks returning to their normal size, and his eyes turning cerulean blue.

Sasuke called out, "That wasn't that bad of a move, Naruto…but we're not done yet." Then, he flew through hand signs, even with the sword hilt in his hands. **"Katon: Housenka no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Pheonix Flower Jutsu!)"** He called, and then sprang into the air and put his left hand curled near his mouth. He blew rapid fireballs at Naruto and Sakura, and followed them closely by using Shunshin. Naruto and Sakura sprang apart, and he targeted Sakura. She would be troublesome, re-healing Naruto's wounds every chance she got. He sprang to the left, where Sakura had leapt to avoid the fireballs, and Sakura cried out in surprise as he appeared in front of her.

She reacted quickly, however, and punched out at him. He just barely avoided the blow, and he dodged a kick as well. He caught her right foot, which had been aiming for his stomach, in his free left hand. He caught her gaze and said, "Stay out of this, Sakura." Then, he launched her backwards. He followed her closely, about to knock her unconscious, when Naruto streaked into existence once more in front of him to block his route to Sakura. He taunted Naruto as he stopped. "Still following her around like a puppy, Dobe? You'd think that after so many years of rejection you'd finally learn." He said, and Naruto's gaze hardened. Then, he disappeared in a puff of smoke. So did the Sakura who had been tumbling across the water surface.

"**RASENGAN!"** Naruto's voice yelled from his right. "Shannaro!" Sakura's voice yelled from his left. He Shunshinned forward, spinning so he could turn and see the two collide. However, Naruto, holding Rasengan in one hand, grabbed Sakura's chakra-infused wrist with his free left hand. He then used her momentum to slingshot her around and throw her at Sasuke. Then, Naruto exploded into smoke.

Sasuke sprang to the left to avoid Sakura's punch, and made a quick calculation. **"Chidori Nagashi!"** He cried, and sent the Chidori lightning current out from his body, and Sakura was right in the middle of it. He pulled the power, only to immobilize her, and she cried out. He sprang into the air, and did a spin kick to her stomach, and launched her in the direction of the rocky shore. If she had landed on the water, her Chakra manipulation would have been scrambled by the Chidori current and she would have sunk underwater. She flew through the air, crying out in pain when his foot connected with her stomach, and landed on the rocky shore, tumbling to a stop. Naruto was at her side instantly, and Sasuke shook his head. "I'm getting tired of your Shadow Clones, Dobe." Sasuke said. Naruto propped Sakura against a small boulder, and was murmuring something to her. Sakura looked too dazed to say anything back.

Naruto stood, and faced Sasuke. His eyes were bloody red once more, betraying his anger. "Dammit, Sasuke, what'd you do to her?" Naruto yelled, and Sasuke arched an eyebrow. Okay, he definitely wasn't hiding that he was angry.

"Relax, Dobe. I sent a low-powered Chidori current through her body…she's immobilized, not dead." Sasuke snorted. "She's probably still aware of everything that's happening…she just can't react to it. She won't be for a good ten minutes…which is all the time I need to kill you."

Naruto, in response, fired off a few Shuriken. Sasuke batted them aside with his shattered blade easily, and then pulled a few Senbon out of a hiding spot in the hem of his pants. He threw them at Naruto, secretly unleashed another Jutsu. He coated the Senbon with enough Chidori current to immobilize Naruto, if not kill him. Naruto attempted to dodge the Senbon, but Sasuke had anticipated where he might leap to. A single senbon lodged in his left shoulder, and Sasuke expected Naruto to fall into the lake, due to the lack of the ability to mold his Chakra. But, Naruto only hissed in pain and grabbed the senbon, ripping it from his shoulder. Sasuke frowned.

"How are you still standing?" He asked. Had Naruto found some way to counter-act the Chidori current?

Naruto grinned. "I'm not telling." He laughed.

Sasuke shook his head. One way to find out if it was a fluke. He Shunshinned close to Naruto, just close enough to nail Naruto with the Chidori Nagashi, and he activated it. **"Chidori Nagashi!" **He called, right as he released the current. Naruto didn't leap backwards, as Sasuke had expected. Instead, he leapt straight towards Sasuke and deep into the current's field. Too surprised to dodge, Sasuke took a blow to the stomach from Naruto. He fell to one knee, surprised at Naruto's strength. It felt like he had been kicked by a horse! He coughed, and Naruto stepped back.

"You rely too much on your Chidori Sushi-thingy, Sasuke." Naruto said.

Sasuke glared up at him, coughing out, "It's 'Nagashi', dobe."

Naruto shrugged. "Whatever. It won't affect me." He said. Sasuke thought quickly. _'He could have somehow managed to counter-act the current with precision Chakra manipulation, but I don't think that he could have learned that. He's always been horrible with precision control. Sakura could have performed some kind of negation Jutsu on him, but she would have put it on herself if that was the case. So what could it be?' _He thought, as he got back up on his feet.

"You're a fool. You should have tried to knock me unconscious while I was down." Sasuke said. "If you were serious about bringing me back, you should have knocked me out."

Naruto shook his head. "Nah. That would have been too simple. And, you probably would have stabbed me with that pointy little knife." Naruto said. Sasuke locked gazes with him.

"Well, let's see how you handle this, Naruto." Sasuke said. Then, Sasuke met Naruto's blue eyes that had faded from the animalistic red. He instantly threw Naruto into a Genjutsu, conjuring up a twisted image of several of the Rookie Nine's broken bodies, bloodied and destroyed. Sakura, Ino, Tenten, Hinata Hyuuga…all the females. He knew Naruto would take the death of female's harder. It's just how Naruto was built.

Naruto cast off the Genjutsu, shaking, and Sasuke blinked in surprise. To have negated the Genjutsu, he would have had to stop his Chakra flow, then reverse the flow in the normal direction. It was something that should have been near-impossible for Naruto to do. Naruto was shaking, and he choked out, "You teme…that was uncalled for."

Sasuke inclined his head. "I see. So, you're not a complete 'dead last failure' like last time."

Naruto clenched his jaw. "I'm not a failure." Naruto choked out. Sasuke almost smirked. So Naruto was still touchy about that?

"No? Then why aren't you Hokage yet? If you're half as strong as you think you are, you should be Hokage by now." Sasuke taunted. This was exactly what he needed. He found Naruto's weakness…and he would exploit it.

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Sakura wished she could stand. She couldn't. She couldn't even feel her legs. She couldn't feel her Chakra, either. All she could do, is sit there, where Naruto had propped her up. It was the exact same view she remembered from her vision. She wished she could yell and warn Naruto…but she couldn't. All she could do was sit there…and listen Sasuke taunt Naruto and his dream.

"I'm not Hokage yet, because I just got back! Soon enough, I'll be strong enough to be Hokage!" Naruto yelled, balling up his fists.

"Really? Are you so sure? Think about it. You've got that demon inside of you. Who would love, or trust you, with that inside of you?" Sasuke asked, his voice as cold as ice.

Sakura felt doubt and uncertainty through her bond with Naruto. He cast a glance at Sakura, and she knew he knew that at least she loved and trusted him. But still, the doubt was there. "I am sure! I'll be so strong they won't be able to pick anyone else." Naruto yelled, turning to Sasuke. Sakura could feel the conflict deep within Naruto. She wanted to comfort him, but was too dazed and shocked from Sasuke's Chidori Nagashi.

"You'll never be picked. They hate the Kyuubi…and you just happen to be its container. One who might as well be the demon. You remember our last fight, Naruto? You had a red chakra tail. Like a tailed demon." Sasuke said. Sakura could feel the emotional agony that Naruto was going through. She knew he was feeling the hurt from Sasuke thinking he was a demon. It was painful, even to her, through the bond.

"I…I'm not a demon." Naruto choked out.

"But can you ever convince the Council of that? Your dream is a waste. You'll never be Hokage, Naruto." Sasuke jeered, and Naruto turned his head slightly. Then, Sasuke acted. Sakura watched as he disappeared from her vision, and appeared in front of Naruto. He punched Naruto in the face several times, battering her mate. Naruto tumbled backwards, towards her, but scrambled to his feet when Sasuke tried to stab him with his shattered blade.

Naruto made the most familiar hand sign, and several Naruto's popped into existence. They all leapt at Sasuke, while Naruto hung back. Then, as Sasuke dispatched the Shadow Clones, Naruto grabbed a scroll from his pack, and ripped it open. It unfurled, and then, a large eight-pronged Shuriken popped into existence. It was large, silver, and glinted in the sun as Naruto grabbed the middle spoke. He threw it at Sasuke, who had just stabbed the last Shadow Clone. Sasuke grunted as he blocked the shuriken with his sword, and it went flying away.

Naruto followed the Shuriken closely, and punched at Sasuke. Sasuke ducked underneath the punch, and then unleashed a lightning-fast punch and kick combo into Naruto's gut. Naruto stumbled backwards, and Sasuke stood still, glaring at Naruto.

"Damnit." Naruto coughed, and spat blood from his mouth. _'Naruto!_' Sakura thought, she wanted to run to him, to heal his wounds. Then…it happened. Just like in her vision.

"I'm done playing Sasuke! I'm bringing you back, just like I promised! Not even you can stop me now! I'm stronger than you'll ever be!" Naruto rasped, his demon-influenced body shaking in anger. He crouched slightly, and looked like he was prepared to pounce.

Sasuke's eyes were wide, glaring at the resilient blond. "No you're not. See?"

Sakura wanted to scream as she saw another Sasuke appear behind Naruto, Chidori charged fist cocked backwards and ready to strike. But…Sakura couldn't make a noise. She could only watch through tear-filled eyes. She couldn't understand. How could there be two Sasuke's? Did he learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu?

Naruto roared in pain as his right shoulder was pierced, in the exact spot as he had been pierced years before. Sakura could only watch in horror as the first Sasuke raised what was left of his shattered sword, and then plunged it down into the top of Naruto's shoulder. Naruto screamed again, and tears blocked Sakura's vision as they spilled out like a river.

She heard the sound of a fist hitting flesh, and She blinked away her tears. Sasuke stumbled backwards, and the Sasuke behind Naruto, who had his hand shoved through Naruto's right shoulder, exploded with an explosion of mud. A Naruto clone had shoved Rasengan into the Sasuke clone, and he dispelled. Naruto fell to his knees, blood pouring from the gaping hole in his shoulder.

Sasuke looked down at Naruto contemptuously and wiped the scuff mark on his cheek where Naruto had punched him. "Dobe. You're no match for me." The Kusanagi sword was sticking up out of Naruto's shoulder, and she could see the blade through the open hole in Naruto's shoulder, even as it dripped blood. "Your time…has come." Sasuke intoned, and raised his left hand. A Chidori crackled into existence, and Sasuke looked down at Naruto, who was groaning in pain. "This is the end." He said, and then sprang at Naruto.

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DUM DUM DUM! lol. How was it? The next chapter should be intense! WOOT! lol. REVIEW please, and thanks so much for all your patience and support!


	19. Chapter 18

Lost in the Green Seas

Chapter 17

**A/N:** I'm sorry for the late update! Really really sorry. College has been going, and now I'm working full time. MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY! AUGH! X_X MY BRAIN HURTS! I've been working hard to get my stuff done so I can write…but it's very difficult. I don't plan on abandoning this story, but updates are going to be hard. But, don't worry…it WILL be updated. Trust me, dearest readers, I am VERY pumped for this story. It WILL NOT be abandoned! You have my word! Thanks so much for your patience and reviews.

PREVIOUSLY:

_Sasuke looked down at Naruto contemptuously and wiped the scuff mark on his cheek where Naruto had punched him. "Dobe. You're no match for me." The Kusanagi sword was sticking up out of Naruto's shoulder, and she could see the blade through the open hole in Naruto's shoulder, even as it dripped blood. "Your time…has come." Sasuke intoned, and raised his left hand. A Chidori crackled into existence, and Sasuke looked down at Naruto, who was groaning in pain. "This is the end." He said, and then sprang at Naruto._

THE CONTINUATION:

Naruto's mind was reeling from the pain. He was a ninja, hardened by battle…but being stabbed by a shattered sword blade after having a hand shoved directly through his shoulder…it was almost too much. He was lucky enough to hear Sasuke speak to him through his pain-fogged senses. "This is the end." He heard faintly.

He managed to look up, and he saw Sasuke leaping at him. _'Move, move, move!'_ Naruto thought desperately, as he saw that Sasuke had a second Chidori. His knees locked, and he couldn't force himself to move through his pain. Sasuke seemed to sense this, and he blurred into invisibility. Naruto prepared himself…and braced for the Chidori.

A kunai sliced through the air, slicing right in front of Naruto. Sasuke, who had been about to run Naruto through…was forced to spring back and avoid it. Sasuke glanced around, and glared once he saw who interfered. "Che." He sneered.

"Watch it, Uchiha…" A voice warned, and then the sound of a soft splash reached Naruto's ears. "I'm your elder. What would Orochimaru have to say about your lack of manners?"

Naruto turned his head to look, and saw Jiraiya walking up next to him. "What's the matter, Naruto?" Jiraiya asked, his voice hard. "Can't deal with a little Orochimaru wannabe?"

Naruto gritted his teeth. "You…deal with a Chidori hole in your shoulder." He choked out, and Jiraiya only glared down at Naruto.

"Quit being a baby. Your father once had four swords impaled in his body…but he fought off 20 Jonin Rock Nin on his own. I think you can handle a small hole in your body." Jiraiya barked. Naruto glared at his teacher, his eyes flashing to their bloody red feral form.

"Father? Since when did _he_ ever have family?" Sasuke asked, his voice mocking.

"He's always had family. And his father, would have trumped yours…Uchiha." Jiraiya snorted.

Sasuke sneered. "As if. Naruto's been an orphan his entire life…that's never changed. He has no father, no mother…" He glared at Naruto. "And no brother."

Naruto ground his teeth and forced his body to respond. He straightened, ignoring the blood pouring from the hole in his shoulder. "I had a father…I had a mother…" Naruto rasped.

Sasuke didn't respond…he just glared. "My mother's name…was Kushina. Kushina Uzumaki. And my father…his name was Minato Namikaze." Naruto said. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"You expect me to believe you because you threw out a few names?" Sasuke sneered again. "Besides…I've never heard of either of them."

"You have…" Jiraiya said. "You just don't know it yet." He warned.

"Get out of the way." Naruto rasped, interrupting. He reached out with his left hand and laid his hand on Jiraiya's shoulder. "He's mine." Naruto growled.

Sasuke only gave Naruto a disinterested glance. But, Jiraiya smirked. He saw the fire in Naruto's eyes now…the fire of determination, as he had seen so many times over the past few years. It was exactly what Jiraiya had been trying to do: push Naruto into his angered state so he would pull out all the stops. Jiriaya was no fool. He could tell from how Sasuke moved, from how he fought…that Sasuke was deadlier than ever. Naruto wouldn't stand a chance unless he pulled out all the stops.

"Make your father proud." Jiraiya said, and sprang away into the air. "I'm going to take care of Kabuto…and let Kakashi watch you." He called, his eyes narrowing. He needed Kakashi to watch Naruto closely…because the Copy Ninja would know more about Sharingan tactics than even he, the mighty toad sage, did.

Naruto reached behind him with his left hand and grabbed into the pouch on his back. He felt for what he needed, and nodded as his hand closed around the handle. "Sasuke…" He rasped. "Let's do this."

He moved, using the Thunder Flicker, and stabbed at Sasuke with the three pronged Kunai with the Hiraishin Formula on it. Sasuke brought up his Shattered Kusanagi blade, and Naruto maneuvered his arm around it. The speed he used, surprised Sasuke. He could see Sasuke's eyes widen a tiny bit. But, Sasuke turned his head a fraction of an inch to the side so Naruto's kunai didn't even glance his skin.

They moved fast, Naruto being just as deadly with the Kunai in his left hand as it would have been in his right. Naruto attacked, giving into the brawler fighting style he slipped into when he pulled on the Kyuubi's power. He kept careful control of it, however, so he wouldn't lose control. His attacks were powerful, and Sasuke sweated with the effort of dodging so many fast and powerful blows. Naruto grinned maliciously as they danced on the water's surface, kicking and punching and slicing…and each time he was blocked. But he wasn't trying to cut Sasuke…he was determining how he moved.

He wasn't completely stupid…he knew that Sasuke would still manage to nail him with another Chidori. But, if he figured out Sasuke before then, after the event…he could defeat Sasuke. Plus…he would receive extra incentive once Sasuke made the mistake of trying to steal Sakura.

'_**We won't let that happen, Kit.'**_ The Kyuubi growled, as Naruto attempted to slice Sasuke's sword hand. His kunai glanced off the back of Sasuke's guards, and Naruto slashed again. He could feel the Kyuubi's anger at just the thought of Sasuke touching Sakura, or even attempting to, resonate with his own. He fought back the urge to transform. He would do that later…if worst came to worst. But, fighting back the transformation slowed him down. _**'She wouldn't go with him, even if he tried to force her to.'**_ The Kyuubi finished.

Sasuke spotted the slowing, and moved quickly. He stabbed at Naruto with his shattered sword, and Naruto just barely moved his face. It cut open the skin of his cheek slightly, and blood dripped down his cheek. He ducked and grit his teeth at the sharp, small, pain. Then, he snap-kicked Sasuke in the side. Sasuke stumbled backwards, surprised at the power of the blow, and Naruto grinned as he thought he heard a bone snap. Probably a rib. Sasuke, however, only winced slightly before slicing clean through Naruto's jumpsuit front, and drawing a thin cut across Naruto's skin.

'_Don't heal anything!'_ Naruto snapped, as he felt the Kyuubi's charka seep into his body. _'I won't cheat. I'll beat him without you.'_ Naruto said.

'_**Fine…but if you start dying…I start healing.'**_ The Kyuubi growled back. Naruto ignored the sweat that stung his eyes, and avoided several quick swipes from Sasuke. They hadn't stopped moving, hadn't even paused during this entire time. Naruto had only landed a single hit…and that was with the Thunder Flicker enhancing his movements. He growled in frustration, and acted on impulse. He threw his kunai in the air, rammed a surprised Sasuke with his injured right shoulder, and forced Sasuke back a step. Then, he swirled a Rasengan into his left palm and slammed it down and forward…into the surface of the water.

The explosion of water blasted Sasuke, and Naruto raised his left hand and grabbed his three-pronged Kunai from the air as it fell towards him. He panted, and watched as the water rained back down into the lake, revealing a drenched Sasuke. Sasuke, however, suddenly emitted a fire aura, a brief flash of fire that enveloped his body. It disappeared just as fast as it had sprouted into existence, and Sasuke was dry once more.

"Enough playing, Naruto." Sasuke snapped. Naruto wished he could say that he was playing…but he would show Sasuke he wasn't. He darted forward, his right arm swinging painfully and uselessly behind him, and filled his left hand with a swirling Rasengan. Sasuke's eyes widened as Naruto blasted forward, kicking up a blast of water behind him, and the Rasengan flew towards his face. Sasuke ducked and ran under Naruto's extended arm. He sliced Naruto's side open, hardly very deep at all, and darted behind Naruto. Naruto spun on his foot, facing Sasuke while letting his Rasengan fade away. He panted, and realized that with his injured shoulder his stamina was decreased. He was weary, tired…in severe pain. But, he didn't have time to contemplate that, as the thought was blown from his mind as soon as it reached his brain.

Sasuke's left hand pierced his previously unmarred shoulder, Chidori ripping and melting through flesh and bone and Naruto was surprised to see Sasuke's blazing Sharingan inches from his own eyes…and blinked. Then, the pain hit him. He clamped his mouth shut…but then his lips flew open of their own accord. His scream seemed to amplify the burning, ripping, hot pain in his shoulder, and Sasuke didn't even flinch as Naruto screamed in pain right in his face.

"AAAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGHHH!" Naruto screamed, tears springing to his eyes. His legs gave way, as his strength was stripped from him by the pain of the second Chidori rammed through his body as easily as he could have plucked a blade of grass from the ground. He buckled, as Sasuke's hand left his shoulder with a wet _'shluk'_, and fell backwards. His back hit the water, and he submerged, separated from Sasuke by a rippling blue film. '_Separated…by _that_ much.' _He thought, as his air escaped from between his lips. It was the perfect reminder of the gap in their power…the perfect reminder that no matter how close he got…they would always be separated by _that_ much.

--------------------

Jiraiya was on his way to Kakashi, when he saw blurs flying past him and towards the lake. He landed on a tree branch, spun, and launched after them. Kakashi, Neji, Kiba and Akamaru, Shino, and Shikamaru were all together, speeding in Naruto's direction. Jiraiya sprang to Kakashi's side, and the Copy Ninja nodded tersely. He was blood-stained and scuffed…but looked okay.

"Kakashi…what's happening?" Jiraiya asked, as they flew back to the Valley of the End.

"Kabuto was wounded, and retreated. He's going to regroup with Orochimaru, and then come here." Kakashi said gravely, and Jiraiya frowned.

"I'll set up traps. You guys get to Naruto. Kakashi…watch Naruto carefully and watch out for him." Jiraiya ordered, and sprang away from the group of ninja. He could set up a perimeter trap, a barrier, because he knew that Orichimaru's first choice would be to teleport directly to Sasuke. He could prevent that, and attempt to buy Naruto some time, but Naruto would have to hurry and beat Sasuke…because Orochimaru would be angrier than hell if his teleport didn't work.

He narrowed his eyes as he zoomed away from Naruto. "C'mon, brat…make me proud. Do what I couldn't…bring your friend back." He murmured.

--------------------

Sasuke looked down at Naruto, as he slowly emerged from the water, floating on his back. Blood poured from the Chidori holes in his shoulders, staining the water red around them. He could see Naruto struggling to hold on to the last remnants of his consciousness, and Sasuke knew he had won. He held up his sword handle, frowning at the shattered remains of his blade, and dropped it. It sunk beneath the red-tinted water's surface with a 'plunk'.

"Dobe. I told you, you never stood a chance." Sasuke said, making his voice monotone and emotionless. But, a tear welled up in his left eye, unconsciously as he looked down on the pitiful remains of the stubborn blonde. He turned his head to the side, hiding his tear as it rolled down his face. _'Why didn't he stop? He knew he was outdone…I could tell. So why didn't he stop? Why does he insist on risking his life, fighting me and for me…when he knows it won't change a thing?'_ Sasuke thought angrily, desperately.

"D…Damnit…" Naruto gasped, and Sasuke looked down at the glassy-eyed blond. Blood poured from his wounds, and Sasuke was astounded. There was no healing going on at all. Not even a trace of the Kyuubi's chakra. _'What's wrong? Why isn't the Kyuubi healing him?' _Sasuke wondered, fighting back his irrational worry. He shouldn't worry about Naruto. He felt Chakra Presences suddenly surround him, and he frowned.

"It's your fault. You shouldn't have come. Everyone shouldn't have. And it was foolish of you not to allow them to interfere." Sasuke gestured around grandly. Sasuke moved his head as he gestured looking away from the bloody site. Kakashi, Kiba and Akamaru, Choji, Shikamaru, Neji, and Shino were all standing on the cliff-sides. They were all visibly seething in rage, but they didn't seem to be able to jump Sasuke as they wished they could. Sasuke was surprised to see his old comrades…and they were good enough now to have taken out Sasuke's guard without being wounded much at all.

"I…can…still…" Naruto coughed out, and attempted to sit up. Sasuke sneered and slammed his right foot down on Naruto's chest. Naruto cried out as he was pushed back beneath the water, then Sasuke removed his foot. _'Stay down, dammit!'_ Sasuke thought. If Naruto exerted himself…he really would die. Sasuke didn't want the blonde's stubbornness to kill him…he tried to convince himself that he just wanted the opportunity to really kill the blond himself.

"DAMN YOU!" Neji cried out, and Sasuke casually glanced up. Neji's hands were curled into fists, and he looked like he would spring at Sasuke. The veins around his eyes were bulging, thanks to his active Byakugan, and his glare made him look demonic. Akamaru, at Kiba's side, growled and his hackles raised. Kiba seemed on the verge of attacking Sasuke.

Naruto floated back to the surface, on his back still, spluttering. "Come back…you're strong enough to kill him…" Naruto gasped. Sasuke looked back down at the young man, and spoke in an icy tone.

"I know I am. I heard you were strong enough to kill an imitation of him. So if you're strong enough to do that, I'm definitely strong enough to kill him. But I won't go back to Konoha. It's not my home." Sasuke said, his remorse and sadness gone. All that was left…was the cold ice that seemed to sprout from his heart.

"Please…" Naruto begged, his cerulean eyes pleading. Sasuke caught Sakura moving, a slight distance away, and he saw she was wiping tears away. He frowned.

"Sorry…but no. I still have a few things left to do with Orochimaru." He said, and turned away.

"Sakura…if you come with me…I'll let him live." Sasuke said, his back to them all. He heard Sakura gasped, at the ridiculous offer. Sasuke knew the way to make her come to him. He had seen how beautiful she had become…and he missed her. He knew that she would gladly come to his side. He was sure she still liked him. But, just to make her realize the seriousness of the situation, he charged Chidori in his right hand and kneeled down next to Naruto in a flash.

He held it above Naruto's head, though Naruto didn't flinch. Naruto stared at the Chidori, his face blank.

"I won't lie. I missed you over the years." Sasuke said, his face struggling to hide emotions that he didn't want any of them to see. He was lonely…he wanted a companion. He was tired of being surrounded by conniving Kabuto, and the disgusting Orochimaru.

"Then let Naruto go. Come back with us." Sakura pled, taking a step forward towards him. Sasuke didn't want to do this…but he wouldn't do it any other way.

"Come with me, or Naruto dies…" Sasuke said, offering her one last chance.

"Please…" Sakura choked out. Sasuke felt surprise as he saw her tears, and saw the emotions and where her eyes darted to. There was deep affection…maybe even love, on her face as she glanced at Naruto. She was truly despairing at this...and rage and jealousy erupted inside of him.

He looked down at Naruto, his face contorted. "So you finally made her see your feelings? Swept her off her feet?" He sneered.

Naruto's teary eyes locked with Sasuke's cold black eyes…and the blonde choked out, "Bastard." Sasuke wanted to ram him through right then and there. Naruto had stolen Sakura from him!

"Naruto…she was mine from the start…didn't you know that?" Sasuke asked softly, but his voice carried well around the valley. He stared down into Naruto's blue eyes, seeing the pain in his gaze.

Sakura took a step forward, and Sasuke glanced up. "Naruto…so you can live…" She started, and Sasuke allowed a small smirk to show on his features. But then everything was interrupted when Naruto moved. He submerged, rolling backwards so his feet flipped back. Sasuke had made a mistake, deactivating his Sharingan. Naruto kicked Sasuke in the face, and knocked Sasuke's hand away at the same time. The force of Naruto's kick was unbelievable, and Sasuke almost bit his tongue. Sasuke staggered backwards, stumbling, as Naruto rocketed to the surface, now standing on his feet. His arms hung useless at his sides, but his eyes glared feral red.

Sasuke panted, holding his mouth with his right hand, glaring at Naruto. Naruto just wouldn't give up or die!

"Don't…" Naruto snarled, and Sasuke felt a sudden killing intent hit him. Naruto's killer intent was so potent, it made his knees shake despite himself.

"Ever…" Naruto rasped again, and he took a step towards Sasuke. Sasuke's three-comma Sharingan activated, ready for whatever Naruto was going to try. Then, Sasuke flinched as his Sharingan showed something unbelievable.

Behind Naruto, a beast of pure Chakra, invisible to the Naked Eye…the Nine-Tailed Fox was roaring. Chakra poured from the beast, who stood protectively over Naruto, and the red chakra fed down into Naruto. The Kyuubi's blazing red eyes seemed to burn into Sasuke's soul, and he almost choked in fear. Naruto's physical structure altered, his bones grew thicker, his muscles became stronger…and his Chakra capacity increased.

"Try…" He took another step, and Sasuke stepped backwards one step. The Kyuubi advanced, one massive paw that was as big as Naruto, stepping forward at the same time Naruto did. The Kyuubi growled, and Sasuke trembled.

"**To take…**" Another step towards Sasuke, and Sasuke took another step backwards. The Kyuubi and Naruto both rasped the words together. Fear filled him completely, making it difficult to breath. Sasuke felt sweat pouring down his face, soaking his shirt, and his muscles felt like jelly.

"**MY SAKURA!**" Naruto and the Kyuubi screamed together, and Sasuke stumbled backwards as a surge of power blasted out from Naruto. It came out in the form of a red shockwave, and it hit Sasuke so hard that he tumbled backwards across the water for a good ten yards. Sasuke didn't see that it had harmlessly passed Sakura by, softer than wind against her skin.

Sasuke staggered to his feet, his clothing now thoroughly soaked with water and sweat. He looked at Naruto in fear, as the Kyuubi threw its head back, and howled, at the same time Naruto did. Then, the Kyuubi shrunk down, and covered Naruto in a fiery shell that was in the shape of a one-tailed fox. Sasuke remembered the last time he had seen the form, and gritted his teeth. His Sharingan was useless at seeing the Kyuubi Chakra shell. It couldn't read its pattern or where it would attack. Sasuke would have to be very careful now.

Sasuke, however, was floored when another tail grew, and he saw raw, red chakra blasting through Naruto's system. Then, a third tail emerged, and Naruto snarled. The holes in his shoulders filled themselves, restoring his flesh to its unharmed state. Naruto's lips drew back, and his blazing red eyes seemed to be able to burn Sasuke on the spot.

"Don't! Naruto!" Kakashi yelled from the side. Naruto didn't seem there anymore…Sasuke saw no intelligence behind his eyes. Only raw, pure and animalistic rage.

Sasuke watched in shock as Naruto growled and reached out with his right hand to the empty air beside him. A purple Rasengan, the Vermillion Rasengan that Sasuke remembered having used on him, formed. Sasuke instantly knew what he had to do to match Naruto's power.

He reached for the foul, evil power that resided in his body, and pulled on it. Marks spread across his skin quickly, obscuring his skin in fiery red marks. Then, he morphed. He felt pain as his wings burst out of his back, and he glared at Naruto with his blackened eyes. He was in his second Stage Curse form. He instantly charged his Black Chidori in his left hand, and focused on Naruto. He was about to spring forward before Naruto could, when Naruto shuddered. His Vermillion Rasengan faded away, and intelligence fought its way back into Naruto's gaze.

Sasuke glared. So Naruto was hesitant to fight him seriously…Sasuke wasn't going to show mercy however. He would kill Naruto. He would kill Naruto, and take Sakura with him. He sprang forward, using Shunshin, and stabbed at Naruto.

A hand grabbed his wrist, and he jerked to a stop a moment before hitting Naruto's heart. The red Chakra around Naruto's body bubbled, but didn't react to the black arcs of lightning that zapped at it. Sasuke glared to his left, and saw Sakura holding his wrist firmly. He blinked, surprised, and saw her green eyes had slitted pupils. Just like Naruto's got when he was angry.

"Sakura? Wha-?" Sasuke asked, shocked, when Sakura broke his wrist. Shock at her actions, more than the pain, caused him to cry out. He stumbled backwards, holding his wrist.

"Sakura." Naruto rasped, sounding slightly groggy.

"Quiet, Naruto-kun." Sakura murmured, and Naruto nodded. One tail disappeared from his Chakra shell, and his eyes grew brighter…more intelligent and alert. Sasuke nursed his broken wrist, his mouth hanging open at Sakura's addressing of Naruto.

"What did you call him?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura pursed her lips. "He's my Naruto-kun." She said firmly, after a moment. Sasuke stared in disbelief still, until Naruto reached out and possessively stuck his arm in front of Sakura.

"She's my Sakura." Naruto echoed, and Sasuke spotted something on Sakura's pale neck. It looked like…a curse seal.

"What did you do to her?" Sasuke demanded, letting his arm fall to his side. He raised his right hand, and charged a black Chidori. "What did you do to Sakura?!" He yelled, and Naruto smirked.

"I marked her. She's mine now. She always will be." Naruto rasped.

Rage overcame Sasuke, and he choked out, "You…marked her? You…you…" Sasuke struggled for the right word. "You monster!" Sasuke yelled, and Naruto blinked. Hurt filled his gaze for a moment, before he glanced at Sakura.

"Relax." He said softly, and Sakura nodded. Sasuke frowned. Sakura hadn't said anything, or reacted. How could he have sensed something that made Sakura tense or angry?

"We're bonded, Sasuke." Sakura said, answering Sasuke's unspoken question. "I'm his…and he's mine." She said.

Sasuke charged. He rarely lost control of his emotions, or his actions, but he didn't even think about what he was doing. All he knew is that he wanted Sakura, he had for the past few years. He had regretted not taking her with him, regretted not treating her better…and when he was going to make it up to her, Naruto had stolen her. He wanted to murder Naruto. He wanted to destroy Naruto…to wipe the boy's existence from the face of the earth!

Naruto reacted faster than Sasuke realized, and because he was so filled with rage…he hadn't paid attention to Naruto's movements with his Sharingan. A Chakra claw grabbed Sasuke's free hand and smothered the dangerous Chidori with red chakra, then Naruto's other Chakra claw grabbed Sasuke by his other wrist and burned the skin on his arm. He hoisted Sasuke into the air, and Sasuke cried out in pain.

Sasuke sent Chidori current through the red Chakra, and hoped to send enough through to kill Naruto …but Naruto stood there, impervious to the lightning attack. "Sasuke…stop it." Naruto said firmly, his voice rasping.

"Let me go!" Sasuke roared, and attempted to pull himself free from the burning Chakra. His skin stung, and he knew that the Chakra was slowly damaging his skin.

"Stop." Naruto rasped again, the claws tightening around Sasuke's limbs. Sasuke grunted in pain. "You're coming back. Once you come back, we'll find and kill Itachi. It's only a matter of time until he comes after me…and you can kill him. We'll help you. I don't care what we have to do, Sasuke…but I'll do it if it means we can be together again." Naruto said.

Sasuke glared at Naruto, and then flapped his wings hard enough to blow Naruto backwards. The claw's released Sasuke for a moment, and Sasuke slipped from them. He darted forward, Black Chidori blazing in his right hand, and thrust at Naruto's heart. He was tired of explaining to Naruto…he didn't want to go back. He didn't care about Naruto or the rest of Konoha. All he cared about was Sakura…and Sakura was now taken by Naruto. Sasuke thrust his arm at Naruto's chest, aiming for his heart.

Sakura got in front of Sasuke, blocking Naruto's vital organs with her own, and Sasuke tried to keep his arm from hitting her. But, he was too fast to stop and not harm her. His Chidori-filled fist tore through the edge of Sakura's left shoulder, a tiny wound…but Sasuke knew it would still hurt Sakura. Sasuke tried to spin and catch Sakura as she cried out in pain.

The next thing Sasuke knew…he was in a cliff-face, bleeding. Sasuke groggily looked around, and saw Naruto holding Sakura in his chakra-covered arms. Sakura was crying slightly, and Naruto was glaring at Sasuke with pure murder in his eyes. Sasuke glanced down at his chest as he felt an intense burning, and blinked. Three large furrows, bleeding profusely, were in his chest…in the shape of clawed slash-marks. Sasuke looked back up and saw Naruto holding his left hand, because he was holding Sakura mainly with his right arm, on the chunk missing from Sakura's left bicep.

He watched with wonder as Naruto's Chakra shell covered the wound, seeped into it…and Sakura's flesh re-grew quickly. _'How is it that his Chakra burns me…but heals her?'_ Sasuke wondered, until he remembered that Sakura was Naruto's…and she was now marked by him.

Sasuke picked himself from the small crater he had created with his impact with the cliff, and jumped back onto the water of the lake. Sasuke watched as Naruto tended to Sakura, and then Sakura stood on her own. That was when Sasuke felt fear again. Naruto's attention was off Sakura after a few short spoken words to the pink-haired Kunoichi…and was now fully on Sasuke.

"You hurt her." Naruto accused, his raspy voice sending shivers down Sasuke's spine. He could feel the anger coming from Naruto.

"Nobody…" Naruto growled, and he crouched. He placed himself protectively in front of Sakura, who seemed a little dazed as she stood behind Naruto. "Hurts my Sakura-chan." Naruto finished, and a third and fourth tail emerged from the orange Chakra Shell.

Suddenly, as power erupted from Naruto…Naruto's flesh seemed to peel away. Dark reddish/brown fur appeared where Naruto's skin floated off into the air and disintegrated…and Sasuke's eyes widened.

Sasuke's Sharingan showed him that it wasn't actually fur. It was pure Chakra. Foul, menacing, demonic Chakra that was actually burning its way from under Naruto's skin and transforming him. The Orange Chakra shell turned Darkish-red, and suddenly Naruto roared. Sasuke could see Naruto inside of the Chakra, but he didn't seem conscious…just a limp form that moved around inside of the now solidifying Chakra around his body. A four-tailed beast, crouching on all fours, stood before Sasuke…energy blasting off it so intensely that Sasuke's black hair was blowing around him wildly.

Sasuke glared, and glanced around. Everyone at the edge of the cliffs surrounding the Valley, were wearing shocked faces. Kakashi seemed to be conferring rapidly with Neji…but neither one looked positive. Sasuke glanced to Sakura, behind the Four-Tailed Naruto.

Sakura was trying to stay standing as power and Chakra and wind all pushed at her, forcing her to slide away from Naruto. Sasuke pursed his lips, feeling his fang-teeth dig into the corners of his lips, and thought hard. This Chakra around Naruto was heavy, but Sasuke was sure he could pierce it. But it would require a sword…and Sasuke had no sword anymore. So…he would have to overwhelm the Chakra, batter it into nothing.

"**Katon: Housenka no jutsu (Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu)!**" Sasuke cried, and flew through his hand seals. He blew a hail of fireballs at Naruto, and sprang to the left, creating a spread Naruto would have trouble avoiding. As soon as he breathed the last fireball, he initiated another jutsu. "**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu!)**" And he launched a giant fireball at Naruto, following the tinier fireballs closely.

Naruto, or rather the red fox with glowing white eyes, stood there on all fours…staring at the incoming projectiles. They all converged on him, and Sasuke smirked. Naruto wasn't moving…either he was too slow or he knew he wouldn't avoid them. Sakura screamed, "NARUTO!"

The Fox that was Naruto jerked slightly, as if waking, and growled. It opened its mouth, revealing a pure white light inside…and then with a blast of power and Chakra, it roared.

"GRAAAAAUUUGGGHHH!" It roared, and the attacks exploded on him.

Sasuke's Sharingan couldn't see through the smoke, as all he saw was blazing red Chakra swirling around, like typhoon. Then, the smoke blasted away, cleared by an explosion or orange and red Chakra. In the epicenter, was the four-tailed form of Naruto…glaring at Sasuke.

It growled gutturally, before glancing over its shoulder at Sakura. Sakura was unharmed, though she seemed distressed, and Sasuke ground his teeth together. Naruto was strong enough to blast away the attacks with just his Chakra.

"Sasuke…don't attack!" Sakura cried. Sasuke stared at her, confused. He was about to tell her that she was being ridiculous…that they were going to fight, when she continued. "I'm going to calm him down! Please…this isn't good for him!" Sakura pled.

Sasuke's only answer was to charge his black Chidori in his right hand. She had the nerve to ask him to do something that would benefit Naruto? How stupid was she?

He sprang forward, using Shunshin, and he stabbed at Naruto. The four-tailed beast ducked, as Sasuke thrust his hand…and it left Sasuke wide open. A fiery claw wrapped around his body, and he stared down in surprise as the red Chakra burned through his clothing, and started to burn his skin intensely. Sasuke instantly Substituted, appeared a good forty yards away.

The log in the Fox Naruto's hands suddenly burst into flame, and Sasuke stared in surprise. Then, the pain of his burns hit him. He buckled, falling to his knees, and grunted in pain. He looked down, and saw his grey skin red and weeping pus suddenly. _'What…horrible Chakra.'_ Sasuke thought, and gritted his teeth. He couldn't make it to his feet at the moment…but he could do an attack still. He forced his broken wrist to participate in his hand seals, attempting to ignore the pain, and then he called his attack.

"***RAITON: RAIKATTA! (Lightning Style: Lighting Cutter!)**"* His right hand glowed black with Dark Chidori lighting, and Sasuke flung his hand in a diagonal arc, like he was using his sword to cut up and to the right. Lighting current flew from his hand, flying forward at near-impossible-to-see speeds. They were shaped like crescent blades, and they spun at Naruto. Naruto had no chance to dodge, they were so fast.

They hit the red-black chakra that surrounded Naruto's body, and Sasuke's Sharingan looked at the damage. It sliced deep into the Chakra, making it as far as Naruto's body. Four deep cuts were there, and the beast howled in pain. One deep cut in the chest, deep enough to see bone and charred muscle; one in the legs, almost severing the appendage; a shallow one in the stomach; and one diagonal from his left shoulder down to the center of his chest…and all four were bleeding rather profusely even in the red Chakra.

Sakura put a hand through Naruto's Chakra Shell, through the harmful red Chakra. It parted way for her, leaving her a clear path to her Mate's body. The dark red chakra bubbled, wavered…and then disappeared completely. Naruto's limp body almost fell into the water, but Sakura caught him and fell onto her knees under Naruto's dead weight. Blood poured from the wounds in Naruto, and Sakura started to cry as she tried to heal his chest and leg wounds.

Sasuke struggled to his feet, and choked, "I…I am not going back."

Naruto looked up, his eyes heavy-lidded and glazed. "I…will…bring you…back." Naruto whispered. The whisper carried around the Valley…holding a promise that Sasuke knew Naruto would risk his life for. Why? Why couldn't he take the hint? Sasuke wanted him dead! Sasuke didn't care about Naruto one bit, and Sasuke wouldn't shed a single tear when Naruto perished!

"Why?!" Sasuke roared, finally fed up with Naruto's persistence.

Sakura looked up at Sasuke, her green eyes showing surprise. Naruto's lips lifted upward slightly, in the barest of smiles…and then Naruto murmured, "Because I never go back on my promises." Then…Naruto passed out.

Sasuke, with a surge of willpower, forced his body back to its normal state. Pain filled his body as his wings sucked back into his body, and the Cursed Form he was in receded into fiery marks, that sucked slowly back into the seal on his neck. Sasuke trembled, weakened by such a tremendous exercise of willpower and the sudden absence of Chakra and power, but didn't fall.

"I'm leaving." Sasuke said, and turned. He thought about charging Sakura and killing Naruto then and there…but he knew that Kakashi would most likely intercept him.

"Wait!" Sakura cried. Sasuke stopped, and didn't walk away. His left wrist was swollen, pained…and he was bleeding from the thick gashes in his chest…but he didn't show weakness by trembling any more.

"Goodbye." Sasuke said coldly, cutting Sakura off, and he prepared to use Shunshin.

He tried to move…but found he couldn't. His eyes widened. "What?" He whispered.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu successful." He heard a familiar voice say.

"Shikamaru." Sasuke spat, and he heard a faint buzzing reach his ears.

"Don't forget me…Sasuke Uchiha." A raspy voice said.

Sasuke felt the constriction around his body vanish, but felt something suddenly sap his remaining strength from his body. He felt things crawling on his body, and he instantly realized what they were, even as they fed and consumed his chakra rapidly. _'Shino's bugs!'_ Sasuke thought in horror, as the last of his strength disappeared.

He fell, face-first, but arms caught him. He felt his consciousness slip away from him, as he was brought up into a set of arms. Kakashi, his Sharingan revealed and looking down at Sasuke in disappointment, held him. The last thing he heard was Sakura crying out, "Someone help me! Hurry!" Then…he lost consciousness.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Tsunade was the first one to know they were coming. A messenger Toad appeared next to her, as she stood at the gates with a medical team and a platoon of Anbu on standby. She wordlessly accepted the scroll, ripped it open, and scanned it. She paled as she read it, and then handed it back to the toad. It disappeared without a word, in a puff of smoke.

"Tsuande-sama?" Shizune asked softly, concerned.

Tsunade looked down at Shizune, and said loud enough for the medical team and Anbu to hear her. "Sasuke Uchiha has been successfully captured alive." She said.

The two Gate Guard Chunin, Izumo and Kotetsu, heard. "What?" They called, surprised. "Naruto did it?" They whooped.

"Naruto is in critical condition, even with the Kyuubi healing him slowly." Tsunade finished, and the silence was immediate.

"What happened?" Shizune asked loudly.

"One of his legs is almost completely severed, while there's a deep laceration in his chest that is halfway through his rib-bones…" Tsunade murmured. "That's all we know for now."

She pursed her lips, and got an angry look in her eye. "Okay, Medical team, go prepare an intensive care room for Naruto Uzumaki! Get absolutely everything ready!" She snapped, and the team of seven Ninja including Shizune nodded. As they disappeared, Tsunade turned to the Anbu.

"Prepare an 'S' Class holding cell for Sasuke Uchiha! When he gets here, bind his fingers, wrists, and seal his vision so he can't use his Sharingan on you. Place him in a Chakra-Sealing room." Tsunade barked, and the Anbu all bowed.

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" They barked, and five of the ten Anbu disappeared to prepare Sasuke's cell. One of the Anbu stepped forward, the bear mask not revealing anything about the Anbu.

"Tsunade…any news on the others?" A soft female voice asked.

Tsunade nodded. "All of the others suffered very few injuries. No blood was drawn on our side except for from Naruto. Neji's fine, Tenten." She replied.

There was a small sigh of relief from behind the mask, and Tenten stepped back into line with her fellow Anbu. They were all visibly tense, even for trained Anbu. It was well known that Sasuke Uchiha was a traitor…and the feelings towards him were not as well off as they once were.

"When will they be here, Tsunade-sama?" One Anbu asked.

"Jiraiya is going to reverse Summon all of them at once. It'll take a few more minutes for Jiraiya to properly set it up…" Tsunade said, not looking at the Anbu. Her eyes were squinted slightly, and her jaw was set. They could tell she was trying to be patient. She loved Naruto like a son, it was common knowledge among Ninja who knew her, and it was hell for her to wait. It was so plain to see.

They waited, and waited…moments that seemed like hours and days in themselves passed. Then, an explosion of smoke signaled the arrival of the new Sasuke Retrieval Squad. Tsunade and the Anbu darted in before the smoke even cleared all the way. Kakashi handed the still-unconscious Sasuke Uchiha to the Anbu, who grabbed him and bound him with more Jutsu wordlessly. Sakura had Naruto in her arms, and Jiraiya was right at her side.

Tsunade took in the quiet look of panic on both of their faces, and looked down at Naruto. She blanched as she saw Naruto's blood-drained pale face, blood-soaked clothing, and the chest and leg wounds. He looked like he was an inch away from death. She carefully took Naruto from Sakura, though Sakura looked like she would rather die than let go of her new mate.

"We're ready for him. Don't worry…he'll be fine. I promise." Tsunade whispered, and then with a quick hand seal, she teleported away in a puff of smoke.

All that was left, was the Sasuke Retrieval squad. They had minor scuffs, and none of them were complaining. They stood there, silent…until Kiba broke the silence. "You're my friends…but to be honest…I don't think I could go through that if it was one of you fighting me and trying to kill me. I wouldn't have been able to hold back, if I was fighting you guys if you were dead serious."

Kakashi looked at the young Inuzuka, and allowed a sad smile to appear. He still hadn't hidden his Sharingan away. "That's one thing about Naruto. He can do most things we can't. He sees the good in someone, even if it's the tiniest sliver, and he keeps his promises. He'll take any amount of pain or punishment to keep his word…even if it means dying in the attempt. It's what makes Naruto, Naruto." Kakashi said softly.

"Naruto Uzumaki is indeed a good friend." Shino murmured, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Well, troop, let's get to the hospital. We'll get looked at, and then wait for word on Naruto." Jiraiya said loudly, gathering everyone's attention back to the matter at hand.

Kakashi reached up and pulled his headband back down in a slant over his left eye, hiding his Sharingan, and agreed with Jiraiya. "He's right. We need to be there for Naruto. Come on…we'll get cleaned up and then wait for him." Kakashi said, and everyone nodded.

Sakura was the first one to move, and she took a step forward. The rest followed her, as they all sprang into the air to head to the Hospital. They would wait for Naruto, as patiently as they could…and hope he made it through this scrape alive.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

"YOU FOOL!" Orochimaru screamed, spittle flying from his mouth.

Kabuto flinched, but stayed kneeling in front of Orochimaru. They were back at the base between Konoha and Sound, where Orochimaru could truly let out his wrath. Sasuke, his host body, was gone. Orochimaru didn't need the body immediately, thank all the gods in existence, but Orochimaru was furious that Sasuke was back in the hands of Konoha.

"I'm sorry, Lord Orochimaru…I couldn't have hoped to best Kakashi enough to slip by him and help Sasuke escape. They were well-prepared for us, and they cut down your hand-selected guards with ease. Not to mention, they had Lord Jiraiya, as well as Chunin and Jonin Ninja who would have been between Sasuke and I. I wouldn't have been able to reach him." Kabuto hastily said, apologizing.

"That…_infernal_…Kyuubi Brat has interfered with my plans for the last time!" Orochimaru spat, his yellow-green eyes blazing with hate. Kabuto shivered underneath the intense waves of killing intent rolling off the Snake Sannin. "I should have killed him the first time I came across him!" Orochimaru hissed.

Kabuto listened as Orochimaru continued. "I should have personally turned him inside out, and listened to him scream!" Orochimaru ranted.

Unfortunately, a Sound Ninja stepped into the underground throne room to report something. "Lord Orochimaru!" The Ninja said, but that was as far as he got. Orochimaru impaled him with his Kusanagi sword, and then heaved the sword upwards through the man's body so there was a straight vertical line through him that stopped right at his belly. The man died instantly, though his body still twitched as it fell backwards and started to pour blood all over the floor.

"The Kyuubi brat will die." Orochimaru spat, and glared down at Kabuto. "But first, I'll recapture Sasuke. When I bring Sasuke back…I'll take the Demon Child with me, and we'll torture him before I kill him." Orochimaru hissed. "Ready a plan. We'll sneak into Konoha…and steal back what's mine. We'll wait for a few weeks, I can wait that long, and when they're unsure if I'm going to build an army and assault Konoha…I'll take them by surprise and take Sasuke again."

Kabuto nodded once. "Yes, Lord Orochimaru." Then, he stood and slowly left the throne room. He needed to think of a way to get into Konoha, to steal Sasuke…and incapacitate and capture the blond Jinchuriki of Konoha. It would not be easy.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Sakura sat at Naruto's bedside, her green eyes regarding her mate. He was completely bandaged all over, just as he had been after he came back from trying to rescue Sasuke the first time. The only differences were very subtle. The fact his hair was shaggier, his shoulders broader and his muscles more defined even with the bandages across his body, and where there should have been two defined rises under the bed sheets where his legs were…there was only one.

Sakura could still hear Tsunade's broken voice in her head. _'I did everything I could, Sakura…but it wasn't enough. The Kyuubi's chakra didn't heal it enough for us to reattach the nerves, or for us to be able to save his leg…we were too late. Naruto will never be a Ninja again.'_

'_Never be a ninja again…' _Sakura echoed in her head. _'What about his dream to be Hokage? Why is this happening? Because Naruto stole me…Sasuke had to steal Naruto's dream away from him?'_

Sakura closed her eyes, and buried her face in her hands. She had cried the last of her tears hours ago…she couldn't cry anymore. Her eyes were still red and puffy, and she had a slight headache…but all of that paled in the comparison of the emotional pain she felt. He had almost died, and he lost his leg…all to keep a promise to her yet again. She heard Naruto's voice in her head, an echo of a memory.

'_I'll bring Sasuke back to you, Sakura…I promise it on my life!'_ Her lips quivered as she still hid her face in her hands as she heard his voice from three years ago echo in her head. _'I did it! I did it! I'm a Ninja!'_ She heard his voice yell, and she remembered the memory of the Genin Bell Test they had first taken. He had been so happy. _'One day…I'm gonna be the Hokage! Then, everyone around me will have to acknowledge me!'_ His familiar brag echoed around inside of her head…and she bit her lip. A dry sob wracked her body, and she fought to keep herself under control.

"Sakura." A soft voice said, and Sakura whipped her head to the left to see who it was.

Tsunade stood in the doorway, looking ragged. "Sasuke is awake and currently being held in a cell under the Anbu Headquarters…do you want to see him?" The Hokage asked.

Sakura shook her head, and reached out and grabbed one of Naruto's bandaged hands. "I'm staying with him." Sakura said.

Tsunade nodded. "I think it's time I told the others." She replied, and Sakura nodded. Only Sakura knew the shocking truth so far. All the others, all of the old rookie nine, were still in the waiting room…only knowing Naruto was alive. Sakura stood, and walked to the Hokage's side slowly. She would tell them.

They walked out of the room, slow and silent, and towards the large waiting room where Shinobi were waiting for word on Naruto. Sakura was surprised to see the entire 'Konohamaru Ninja Corps', as well as their Sensei Ebisu, Iruka, the Ichiraku's, and all the family members of the Rookie Nine. Their mothers and fathers and siblings and even their teachers sat with them, comforting the teenagers. Everyone looked up when they heard Tsunade and Sakura stop at the mouth of the hallway, right at the entrance of the waiting room.

Iruka was the first to react. "Tsunade? How is he?!" He cried, jumping to his feet. His face had dried tear stains…and he looked ready to drop from the stress he was under.

Tsunade pursed her lips, and looked down at Sakura. She would let her apprentice say it. Everyone looked to Sakura, who fought to keep her limbs from shaking and her lips from quivering. She looked at each of her fellow 'Rookie Nine' in the eyes. Kiba, Shino, Tenten, Neji, Hinata, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, and Lee…all were clearly worried. Kiba held Hinata closely, and Sakura fought once more to keep her lips from quivering.

"Naruto…" Sakura said, but her voice was hoarse. She cleared her throat, and repeated herself. Her voice shook slightly. "Naruto…is alive still." Relief was visible on everyone's faces at that news, and Iruka sagged visibly in relief.

"Can we see him?" Neji asked, stepping forward. His face was hopeful.

Sakura nodded. "Yes."

Everyone rose to their feet, and Sakura raised her voice. "But!" She yelled, and everyone froze. Kakashi walked up to her, concern clear in his visible eye. Sakura looked down at the ground as she spoke loud enough for the entire room to hear. "Naruto is still unconscious. And…And…" Tears rolled down her cheeks, surprising her. She thought she had run out of tears…

"Sakura?" Tsunade murmured, and then realized she would have to say it. She sighed.

"I did what I could. He'll live, though the wounds he had very nearly ended his life." Tsunade said, and everyone paled. "But…he didn't survive this without a price." She called, and Kakashi reached over and brought Sakura to his chest as she cried.

"What do you mean, Tsunade?" Jiraiya demanded, stepping forward and pushing his way through the crowd. He frowned as he looked at his Sannin Teammate.

Tsunade looked each and every one of them in the eye as she slowly announced the news. "Naruto lost his right leg. We couldn't save it. The nerve endings are fried, arteries cauterized, and the flesh fried as well from the attack Sasuke unleashed. We couldn't even attach a new leg…or repair any damage done to it. He will…never be a ninja again."

There was only silence, and Sakura looked up to see her friends' reactions. Everyone in the room was shocked into silence…but not for long. The first one to react was Iruka, who fell to his knees and curled into a ball and wept. The rest of the Shinobi burst out, yelling and demanding if there was anything they could do or commanding her to try harder. Jiraiya stood, shocked and pale, as the crowd around him and Iruka yelled.

"QUIET!" Tsunade roared, and the Shinobi instantly stopped talking. She glared around the room. "I tried every technique I could think of, did everything I could! I looked forward to presenting the title of Hokage to Naruto one of these days, more than the rest of you looked forward to seeing it!"

Jiraiya finished for her, seeing her chin quiver and tears build in her eyes. "We need to accept the fact that Naruto won't be a ninja…and help him through this! Tsunade isn't to blame! She did everything in her power, and we should be happy enough to have Naruto alive! If it wasn't for her, he would be dead now! Don't blame her." Jiraiya cast a dark look away from everyone, out a window and in the general direction of the Anbu headquarters. "Sasuke is the one to blame…not Tsunade. Tsunade saved him. Now…its our jobs to help him through this. It won't be easy…but we all owe him that much, at least!"

There were several quiet agreements from the adults, and then Sakura spoke. "If we could just be there for him, I know this is going to be one of the hardest things for him to accept, I'm sure we can help him." But…inside, she knew that he might never get over this. This was the end of his dream, the end of his promises...and probably the end of his hope. He probably would never be the same, idiotic, smiling blonde ever again.

But then, suddenly, an Anbu appeared next to Tsunade. He bore an elaborately decorated scroll…and Tsunade wordlessly took it. She gasped. "This is the Kazekage's seal!"

Team Guy and Kakashi and Sakura looked at her expectantly as she carefully opened the scroll. Tsunade read the scroll…and then looked up at everyone. "Gaara has come out of his coma. He's coming to the Leaf to personally thank everyone…and especially to see Naruto" She read, and everyone exchanged loaded glances.

Sakura cast a pained glance in the direction of Naruto's room. "Wake up soon…Naruto." She whispered pleadingly. The Kazekage was coming.

__________________________________________________________________

That's this chappy! Thanks for reading, and being so patient my dear readers! Things are tough for me right now…but I shall persevere and bring you more NaruxSaku! I hope you don't hate me after this chapter! Lol.


	20. Chapter 19

Lost in the Green Seas

Chapter 18

**A/N: Thanks for waiting so long guys! This chapter is very short. :( But, I hope you still like it. It's a transfer chap. I'm about to move into a new 'arc' if you will. Hopefully...you will all appreciate this upcoming arc. **

PREVIOUSLY:

_Tsunade read the scroll…and then looked up at everyone. "Gaara has come out of his coma. He's coming to the Leaf to personally thank everyone…and especially to see Naruto." She read, and everyone exchanged loaded glances._

_Sakura cast a pained glance in the direction of Naruto's room. "Wake up soon…Naruto." She whispered pleadingly. The Kazekage was coming._

THE CONTINUATION:

Sasuke was laying on his back. He was blind, due to a metal band around his eyes that wrapped around his head and kept his head pinned to the stone table he was laying on. He was spread eagle, held down by metal bands encircling his wrists, biceps, chest, ankles, thigh's, and around his neck. Large metal rings were around his fingers, making it impossible to form hand seals to form Ninjutsu. Sasuke was cold, and there was almost a slight dampness to the room that made him think he was deep underground. Orochimaru's lairs often felt like this…and they were always deep underground.

He had already tried to form Chakra, just to see the result, and it had forcefully been pulled from his body and sucked away…so he knew he was in a Chakra-sealing room. He had been alone for quite some time…and had been awake for a good five hours. He had been counting in his head. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a heavy metal door opening. He didn't react, but remained still and passive. He counted the differences in the footsteps and determined their were five different people. He stayed silent, while they surrounded the table he was on.

"Sasuke Uchiha." A deep voice murmured, and Sasuke felt a faint tug at his memories. Instantly, he realized who it was. Ibiki Morino, the first proctor of the Chunin Exams so long ago, the head interrogator for Konoha. He was a dangerous man…and Sasuke fought to remain passive.

"We know you're awake." Another voice said. This one was female…and Sasuke recognized it as the Fifth Hokage's voice. Tsunade…the Slug Sannin and Hokage of Konoha.

Sasuke remained silent, and waited. They were here for a purpose, and he would let them get to the point. He heard one other person 'hmph', but then silence filled the room. After a few minutes, Tsunade spoke again.

"Naruto is alive." She finally said. Sasuke didn't react. He had already counted on that fact. Naruto was too damn stubborn to die, even after the crippling attack Sasuke had dealt him. Naruto was probably already recuperating and eating ramen. Sasuke rolled his eyes behind his metal blind.

"But he no longer has a right leg." Tsunade finished her sentence coldly, and Sasuke's heart skipped a beat. He waited for her to explain, and wasn't disappointed.

"Your lightning attack cauterized the flesh and arteries completely, and made it impossible to reattach or heal his leg. Not even the Kyuubi Chakra helped." Tsunade explained, and he heard the veiled anger in her voice. "He will no longer be a ninja, thanks to you…Uchiha." Tsunade spat.

"Lady Hokage…" Ibiki murmured.

Sasuke heard Tsunade sigh, and then there was silence for a moment. "My issue right now is this, Sasuke: Naruto would be angry if I sentenced you to death the way I want to. Traitors are killed, but Naruto went through great lengths to capture you alive. I could strip you of your Chakra-molding abilities, seal away your Sharingan and make you a civilian for what you did to him…after all it's only fair. You steal his dreams, I steal yours." Tsunade growled.

Sasuke finally reacted. She had the ability to steal his dream of revenge, his dream to kill Itachi…and she was angry enough to use it. "What?" Sasuke asked through gritted teeth.

"But once again…Naruto wouldn't be happy about that. So, I decided that Naruto will decide your fate. He will decide how you will live, or how you will die." Tsunade said, and Sasuke felt his blood drain from his face.

"I'm half-contemplating lying to Naruto and telling him the retrieval team failed to recapture you alive, and they were forced to kill you…and then kill you myself." Tsunade said, and he could tell by the ice in her voice that she wasn't lying. For a moment, he wondered if she would.

"Lady Hokage…the Kazekage has sent an advance messenger. It is Temari, the sister of the Kazekage, and she requests a meeting with you." A voice said, and Sasuke assumed it was from outside of the room.

Tsunade sighed, while Sasuke quickly put two and two together. Temari was Gaara's sister, as well as Kankuro's, but he doubted Kankuro was Kazekage material. So that left Gaara, whom Sasuke knew something from reports that he had quickly advanced through the Suna Ninja ranks. So, Gaara was Kazekage…and visiting Konoha on top of it all.

"Very well. Have her escorted to my office…and I'll meet her there." Tsunade said. Then, he felt a light breath caress the side of his face. "I'll deal with you later, Uchiha." Tsunade murmured, and he could practically feel the hate she felt for him just from those few words.

Then, the people in his room marched out and shut the heavy door behind them…leaving Sasuke alone. He laid there for a few moments, in the oppressive silence. He wondered what Naruto would sentence him to. Then, he sneered and said, "Che."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Kakashi stared down at Naruto. He wasn't alone in Naruto's room…though it wasn't as crowded as it had been hours ago. Now it was just the Jonin and Jiraiya and Sakura in the room. They were all carrying on hushed conversations, while Kakashi and Jiraiya stood over Naruto's bed and looked down at the blonde.

"Just when everything looked like it would go right for him." Kakashi finally murmured. He was overwhelmed with emotions…he had known for a long time how harsh Naruto's life had been. Naruto had always persevered, no matter how many curveballs that life threw at him…but this obstacle seemed impossible to get by. No matter what Naruto tried, it seemed that fate had nothing but sorrow planned for the knuckleheaded blonde.

Jiraiya looked at the white-haired Jonin. He could see Kakashi's lone eye was red, watery and puffy. Kakashi had cried, though no one had seen it, and Jiraiya knew the feeling. His pupil's son, the son of Kakashi's master, had just lost his dream. He could no longer be a true ninja anymore…not with only one leg. Jiraiya had entrusted Naruto with the duty to find hope, and find the answer to stop all the despair and pain in the world…but Naruto would most likely be overcome by the very things Jiraiya sought to have him overcome.

Jiraiya spoke with a choked voice. "He'll pull through. Maybe not in the way we hope…but maybe enough to make a difference." He said, and Kakashi looked at the Toad Sannin and nodded.

"What?" A soft voice rasped, and the room suddenly became deathly quiet.

Everyone who wasn't already looking at Naruto, suddenly was. They moved quickly to his bedside, Sakura shoving her way to his side. His blue eyes seemed glazed, and he looked pale still…but he was awake.

"Naruto." Sakura whispered, and leaned over him and captured him in a hug. Naruto winced, but hugged her back fiercely.

"Sakura." He murmured, and everyone watched as the two teenage Shinobi kissed. Only Naruto's eyes, his mouth, and a little bit of skin around his eyes was visible…the rest was bandaged.

"Oi, Naruto." Kakashi greeted casually, trying to lighten the mood.

"Glad you finally woke up, Gaki." Jiraiya grunted, and attempted to smile.

Everyone else murmured similar greetings, and Naruto nodded at the Jonin. Neji, Tenten, Guy, Asuma and Kurenai were all there…smiling kindly. "Can…I get…some water?" Naruto rasped, and instantly Sakura grabbed a cup from his bedside. They waited patiently while Sakura helped him slowly drink…and after a few minutes he finished.

"How long was I out?" Naruto asked, and looked around.

Everyone exchanged glances. "A year, Naruto." Kakashi said, his face serious.

"WHAT?!" Naruto screeched, and almost jumped out of bed. Sakura held him down, and glared at the cycloptic Jonin.

"Kakashi-sensei! Be serious!" Sakura growled.

Kakashi chuckled, looking at a wide-eyed and panting Naruto. "Only kidding. You've been out for about seven and a half hours." He laughed. "It's about midnight right now."

Naruto glared at the white-haired ninja. "Jerk!" He roared, and tried to jump at Sakura. She hit him on the head, and he cradled the top of his head and whined, "Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!" Sakura winced.

"Oops. Sorry." She said, and everyone chuckled.

Suddenly, Naruto looked up, his eyes hard and fierce. "Where's Sasuke?" He asked.

Everyone grew silent. They all looked to Kakashi, who gave Naruto a kindly smile. "Naruto…you did it. Sasuke is back in Konoha. He's in Anbu headquarters, being held at the moment, but he's back. You drained him enough to allow Shikamaru to paralyze him and Shino suck away his remaining Chakra and strength. You kept your promise…Sasuke is back here in Konoha."

Everyone watched as Naruto stared, looking dumbfounded, at Kakashi. Then, he chuckled softly. Slowly, his chuckle grew to a laugh…and then full-blown laughing at the top of his lungs. "I did it! I finally did it!" He laughed, and everyone smiled and watched the young man with pride.

"Naruto…Gaara is awake. He's coming to Konoha, and he's due to be here by seven o'clock tomorrow morning." Sakura murmured, smiling. Naruto jerked in surprise, but his grin grew.

"Yes! Gaara! You did it!" He whooped, and threw energetic punches at the air. His grin was wild, and his eyes sparkled. Then, he winced and held his chest and doubled over. "Ouch…guess…I'm not healed all the way yet." He mumbled.

Sakura placed a hand over his chest and helped to straighten him. "Relax…you need to rest. Your body's still working on healing the wounds Sasuke dealt you." She murmured.

"I'll be fine in no time, Sakura!" Naruto said, grinning brightly. "See?"

"Naruto, no!" Everyone cried, as he threw back the covers and attempted to spring out of bed. Kakashi and Sakura jumped to grab his arms, but as soon as his left foot touched the ground and the lack of his right foot threw his balance…he fell face-first.

"Oh, God!" Sakura cried, as Naruto coughed in pain. She and Kakashi knelt next to him, and he groaned.

"What the hell?" He coughed. "Why…what's wrong with me?"

Sakura and Kakashi grabbed his arms and pulled him up, and then Naruto looked down. "Naruto…stay calm." Sakura pled, as the heart-rate monitor he was still connected to accelerated.

Everyone watched, sick and horror-struck as they watched Naruto's reaction at what he saw. You could almost see it slowly processing…him thinking, _'I should have two legs…why am I only seeing one? Wait…where's my other leg? What…?'_ His heart-rate was accelerating wildly, and his eyes grew wide. He started to shake, and Kakashi and Sakura anxiously put him back on his bed, trying to force him to lay down.

"Where's my leg?" Naruto cried, and panic and horror were in his voice and on his face. "WHERE'S MY LEG? WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!" He screamed, and he started to thrash.

Sakura started to cry as she and Kakashi tried to hold him down, but he was proving difficult. All of the other Jonin dashed forward, and helped restrain him…but it wasn't easy. Naruto was not only stronger from his transformation back in Suna, but he was also empowered by adrenaline and fear. Finally, Neji jabbed Naruto in the side of his neck, and Naruto went rigid. His eyes were wide, and his chest heaved…but his body didn't move.

"Relax…I temporarily paralyzed you." Neji said calmly, but sweat beaded his brow. Naruto's eyes jerked around wildly, and his chest heaved rapidly.

"Please, Naruto, calm down!" Sakura pled, her tears landing on her Mate's bandaged chest.

"Naruto, you need to calm down now." Jiraiya said firmly, shoving his way forward so Naruto could see him. "Calm down so we can explain everything." Jiraiya ordered.

Slowly, Naruto's breathing decreased and his eyes focused solely on Jiraiya. Jiraiya regarded Naruto carefully, and then said, "Neji…release his paralyses."

Neji stepped forward, and jabbed Naruto's neck. Instantly, Naruto's body jerked. Everyone stared down at Naruto, though he only had eyes for Jiraiya at the moment. "Please…what happened?" Naruto whispered. Everyone could tell he was on the verge of panic, and Sakura bit her lower lip as she felt him struggling to control his emotions. She could tell how close he was to losing it, and he was practically drowning in the roiling emotions at the moment. She sent a calming wave through their bonds, but it hardly did anything to help him.

"You went into a four-tailed state…" Jiraiya started, and Naruto winced instantly. Jiraiya instantly reassured him, "You didn't hurt anyone, Naruto."

Naruto nodded tersely. Then, Jiraiya continued. "Sasuke unleashed a high-powered lightning jutsu. It fired several blades of pure lightning at you…and cut through the thick Kyuubi Chakra. It almost severed your right leg…and cut you pretty badly in several other spots. The lightning cauterized your flesh and arteries, and the Kyuubi didn't seem to help at all. We couldn't save your leg, or attach a new one…but Tsunade did all she could. She exhausted herself for hours, attempting anything she could think of. In the end…it couldn't be helped." Jiraiya said. Naruto lowered his head, and clenched his fists.

"So…I…can't…" Naruto choked out, and everyone lowered their own heads.

"I can't be a ninja?" Naruto asked, his voice wavering. He wasn't stupid. He knew he wouldn't be an effective ninja with only one leg. He couldn't dodge properly, run fast enough, and he'd be a hindrance no matter what.

No one said anything…and Naruto shook. He trembled, in rage…in despair.

"Why?!" Naruto suddenly yelled. He looked up and his eyes were blazing red. "Why is it that everything has to go wrong? Why can't something go right for once? Why can't I just catch a break?" He screamed.

"Naruto…" Sakura murmured, taken aback by the intensity of his anger through their bond.

'_**Boy…Calm yourself.'**_ A deep growling voice said.

"Calm? CALM?" Naruto screamed. Everyone looked confused, and looked to Kakashi and Jiraiya.

"The Kyuubi…" Jiraiya murmured. Everyone looked at Naruto, as Sakura stared at him apprehensively.

'_**This isn't irreparable!'**_ The Kyuubi growled. Sakura flinched, as she heard the booming voice in her own head. Kakashi grabbed her arm, looking at her questioningly.

"I can hear him…" Sakura whispered, and Kakashi's lone eye widened.

"How the hell can I get over this?" Naruto yelled, and slammed his fists down next to the lump of flesh that should have been his leg…but stopped at his knee.

'_**I'm the strongest of the demons, boy! Do you think a mere flesh wound like that would stop a true demon?'**_ The Kyuubi snorted derisively.

"I'm not a true demon!" Naruto snapped back, his blazing eyes burning violently. Naruto glared down at his bed sheets, chest heaving.

'_**No…but you have one locked inside of you. I can heal you.' **_The Kyuubi promised.

Sakura gasped. "What? Can he really?"

Naruto didn't seem to hear, as he bitterly asked, "At what price, Fox?"

'_**No price at all. I need my host in fighting condition, if we're to survive Akatsuki. I'm looking out for myself.'**_ The Fox said offhandedly, and Sakura narrowed her eyes. She didn't buy it. The tone of his voice made her stop and think. What was the real reason?

"And how could you heal it?" Naruto demanded.

Everyone listened intently, thoroughly spooked, but they couldn't move. They were held by this conversation being held unheard to their ears.

'_**I can accelerate certain parts of your body's metabolism. You'll need nutrients. I'll accelerate your body's healing function. Similar to the lowly Gecko that can regrow a limb, I'll alter your own body temporarily. If you don't supply it without enough nutrients, however…your body will eat at itself.'**_ The Kyuubi said, and then Naruto was uncharacteristically silent.

"Naruto?" Jiraiya asked cautiously.

Naruto looked up, his eyes no longer red, but a deep blue that held an almost fanatical resolve. "I _will _be a ninja. I _will_ be Hokage." Naruto said firmly, and Kurenai was the first to speak up.

"Naruto…we admire you for your will, for your persistence…but how can you still be a Ninja with only one leg?" She asked. She was clearly just as confused as the rest of them, but she was also someone who didn't know Naruto intimately.

"I'll make it happen." Naruto vowed. He turned to Sakura, his eyes softening. He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.

She smiled softly, and nodded. "I'll get it." She said. He was about to speak again, when once more she beat him to it. "And…I know." She said confidently, ruining Naruto's 'I love you', and then she ran from the room. Kakashi ran after her, calling her name, and left Jiraiya to deal with Naruto.

"Okay, Naruto…spill the beans. What's going on?" Jiraiya demanded. He planted his hands on his hips and glared at his young pupil.

Naruto looked up at the Toad Sannin. "I'm going to get my leg back." Naruto said firmly.

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. "How?" He asked, ignoring the surprised gasps from the Jonin behind him.

Naruto answered slowly. "The Kyuubi…is going to try to accelerate certain parts of my body's mata…metaba…er…" He sighed, and then shook his head. "The Fox is going to regrow it, but I have to eat alot of food and nutrient s or my body will eat away at itself."

Jiraiya jerked in surprise. "What? It can do that?"

'_**Of course I can, idiotic human!'**_ The Kyuubi growled in Naruto's head, and Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Yeah…he can do it." Naruto said firmly, and then he felt a reassuring wave of emotions from Sakura. "Sakura's got the nutrients." Naruto said.

"I'll send for Tsunade. She needs to see this…just in case." Jiraiya said. He flew through hand seals, and summoned a tiny toad that appeared on the clean hospital floor.

"Tell the Hokage to come to Naruto's hospital room immediately." Jiraiya ordered firmly, and the toad croaked an affirmative before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Jiraiya and the Shinobi in the room looked towards the doorway, where Kakashi appeared with Sakura in his arms. Sakura held onto a few bags of clear liquid tightly.

Sakura sprang from Kakashi's arms and to Naruto's side, and Kakashi explained went to the machines next to Naruto. "We grabbed Nutrient-rich liquids, which should do just as good as food for now. If we can hook them all into Naruto via IV's…it should work just fine." Kakashi said, and everyone nodded.

Sakura sent Naruto an apologetic look as she quickly fixed IV's on to the bags, and then jabbed them into Naruto's arms. He hissed in pain, but tried to stay relaxed as she jabbed seven more needles into his arms. He let his arms lay limp, and Sakura nodded once she was finished hooking him up. "Okay…" She said, and stepped back.

A large explosion of smoke erupted in the middle of the room, and everyone flinched. However, the smoke cleared quickly and revealed a distressed looking Tsunade and Shizune, and a surprised Temari. "What's going on?" Tsunade yelled, taking in the scene in one look.

"The Fox is going to regrow Naruto's leg…we need you to be here just in case." Jiraiya explained, and then noticed Temari. "Sorry for interrupting your meeting." He added apologetically.

"No…it's fine." Tsunade said. She instantly eyed the nutrient bags, and nodded. "Good placement, Sakura." She complimented her apprentice. Sakura nodded her thanks, but Temari interrupted them all.

"What happened to his leg?!" She cried, taking a step forward. Shock was written all over her face as she eyed the bandaged lump that was Naruto's leg.

"Sasuke Uchiha was retrieved…and Naruto paid a price for it." Tsunade said sharply. "Now…Naruto…begin." She said, and Naruto nodded.

They all waited, breathless, as Naruto closed his eyes. "I'm ready, Fox." Naruto said aloud.

'_**Good. Prepare yourself for a large amount of pain…this will **_**not**_** be pleasant.'**_ The Kyuubi growled in Naruto's mind. Sakura heard it as well, and she paled.

"The Kyuubi says there will be a lot of pain." Sakura warned everyone in the room, as Naruto screwed his eyes shut tighter.

Temari watched, clearly confused and still horrified, as the change began. Naruto's hair grew shaggier, and his fists clenched. His nails elongated, and everyone was sure that his whisker-marks grew thicker and darker under the bandages. He shook, and Sakura felt his pain through their bond…not exactly in the degree he did, but still pain. She winced, but bore through it as Naruto's body shook and the veins and muscles all over his body stood out against even the bandages.

"Grrr…." Naruto growled, and he bared his teeth. They were longer, sharper and deadlier-looking. His eyes flashed open, and he threw his neck back. "ARG!" He yelled, and his eyes blazed a bloody red.

"Remove the bandage!" Tsunade barked, as the lump of flesh and bandages that was Naruto's right leg started to quiver.

Sakura darted forward, and used a Chakra Scalpel to slice open the bandages cleanly. Red, weeping flesh presented itself to everyone's eyes and everyone flinched instinctively.

Pain, similar to the pain of transformation, blazed through Naruto's body. But, the pain was primarily concentrated in his right leg. Agony ripped through him, and he cried out in pain as the flesh around his severed appendage bubbled. His leg elongated, nothing but a quivering and bubbling mass of flesh, and sweat poured from Naruto's body. The bags of Nutrients were being drained quickly, Naruto's body and the Fox's chakra pulling it from the bags forcefully now. Everyone watched as steam lifted from Naruto's body, and especially his leg, and he began to thrash and emit strangled and choking sobs. The bandages that completely surrounded his body shriveled and burned into nothingness, earning alarmed gasps.

Everyone paled and everyone took an unconscious step forward, but only Sakura grabbed Naruto and held him down. He yowled, like a wild animal that was dying, and tears welled up in Sakura's eyes. The pain he was experiencing was unbelievable…and she was surprised he hadn't passed out from it yet. Finally, his thrashing lessened, and the bubbling of his limb lessened. His leg solidified, and Naruto went limp as the pain seeped out of his body. Sweat drenched his clothing, and everyone stared in awe and surprise at Naruto's new right leg.

It was perfectly formed, and matched his unblemished left leg. Everyone gaped, too stunned for words, as Naruto dazedly looked down at his leg and weakly wiggled his toes. He seemed slightly thinner, not unhealthily so, but still in good shape. He smiled slightly, and chuckled. "It worked." Naruto rasped, as the last of the Kyuubi chakra was drawn back into the seal at his navel. Everyone stared at the spiral seal that was visible at Naruto's navel as it slowly disappeared and Naruto's features returned to normal.

There was deafening silence for a moment, before Sakura leapt at Naruto. He caught her, exclaiming in surprise, and fell backwards onto the pillows of the hospital bed. He laughed, and Sakura kissed him fervently on his face. He let her shower him with kisses, while the one-eyed Jonin, Kakashi, smiled and shook his head. Naruto was full of surprises.

"Naruto…how do you feel?" Tsunade asked, stepping forward.

"Really…good." Naruto said, considering his words for a moment. "Tired…but good." He sighed. He then kissed Sakura's forehead, and smiled wearily.

Tsunade sighed, and shook her head in disbelief. "That's one for the books…regrowing a new limb…amazing."

Jiraiya shook his head as well. "The Fox sure comes in handy…I hate to admit it, though." He said.

Naruto experimentally raised and lowered his leg, and nodded. "It's fine, like I never lost my leg to begin with." He murmured, and then he looked at Sakura, who crawled off his bed and stood next to him.

"Can I go home now?" He asked eagerly.

"No!" Everyone said at once, and he flinched at their timed response. Then, everyone laughed.

Tsunade chuckled and stepped forward and kissed his forehead. He blinked, and she pulled back. "You have to stay overnight…just to make sure you don't suffer any adverse effects. Then, in the morning…you can be released and come greet Gaara at the gates yourself."

Temari watched from near the back of the crowd, filing away the event to tell her brother before he came. _'So this is the power of the Nine Tailed Fox…'_ Temari thought.

Tsunade watched as Naruto kept looking at Sakura, his eyes trying to convey a message Sakura was obviously missing. She smiled wryly, and thought, _'Oh to be that young and in love…'_ She sighed internally, and then put on her gruff Hokage attitude. She clapped once, getting everyone's attention.

"Okay, everyone, we need to spread the words to those who are waiting for it…and let them know all that's happened with Naruto. He needs his rest after such a strenuous technique! Let's let him get some rest, and we'll see him tomorrow!" She said, and all the Jonin nodded.

They all murmured their farewells, before using Shunshin to disappear from the hospital rooms. Tsunade, Shizune, Temari, Jiraiya, and Sakura were the last to leave. Sakura brought up the rear, looking wistfully back at Naruto. Tsunade could have smacked her apprentice up alongside the head, for how much sense she was showing at the moment. She let the others file out of the room, and then in the doorway she grabbed Sakura by the shoulder, and turned her around. They stood almost side by side, Tsunade murmuring in her apprentice's ear.

"Sakura…stay with him. Tonight, he needs you." She whispered, and then walked out of the room. She gave Sakura a gentle push into the room, and then quickly shut the door.

"Playing matchmaker again, Tsunade?" Jiraiya's voice murmured at her ear.

She gasped and turned, holding the door knob for support. Jiraiya smirked, and leaned away from her, due to the fact their lips had almost touched. He looked smug…and for a moment, she wondered what he was thinking. Then, she put up a gruff façade.

"Of course not. I'm just giving the girl a shove in the right direction." She said, and then brushed past him like there was nothing about him that had suddenly surprised her.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Literally." Then, he followed her and Temari and Shizune away from the room.

-----------------------------

Inside the room, Sakura was already at Naruto's side. She could feel his emotions but couldn't quite identify them they were fluctuating so wildly. She crawled up next to him, and sat his side. He looked down at his lap, and she felt one emotion and recognized it easily. She had felt it often enough herself. Insecurity.

"What's wrong?" She whispered.

Naruto obviously tried to quell his emotions, and she firmly reached over and grabbed his chin in the fingers of her right hand and turned his face towards hers. She got as close as she could so their faces were millimeters apart. "What…is…wrong?" She whispered softly, spacing the words out.

Naruto opened his mouth, and his eyes looked away from her. "What…what do you think…now that…Sasuke is back?" He whispered, and Sakura blinked.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked. She was suddenly confused. What could he mean by that? What _did_ she think?

Naruto swallowed and said, "What are we going to do? He obviously didn't want to come back…and he obviously was upset you were with me and bonded with me…"

Sakura frowned and pushed him down into the bed. She crawled over and straddled his lap, and placed her hands firmly on his chest. "I think that nothing between us will change. I'm yours. You're mine. End. Of. Story." She said, and punctuated her words with pokes to his chest. She felt his surprise, and his happiness, at her words and it made her smile.

"Sakura…" Naruto murmured.

She leaned down and nuzzled against his neck. "Yes?" She asked.

Suddenly, she found herself underneath Naruto. He had rolled them over so now he was on top. His hands pinned her wrists gently above her head, and her legs were still spread as she suddenly found their bodies pressed together in areas that made her blush. His mouth found the seal on her neck, and she gasped.

His body rubbed against her, and she moaned. "May I…" Naruto started to ask, and she knew what it was as soon as she felt his burning lust and need through their bond. Before he could finish his sentence, she interrupted.

"Yes." She whispered, and she felt him grin against her neck. She felt his body rub against hers again, and she moaned, and wrapped her arms around him and brought him close. She wanted, needed, him just as much as he needed and wanted her. She wouldn't let him go tonight…not once.

They made love that night, into the long hours of the morning, and they never once separated from each other.

______________________________________________________________

Sorry that this chap is so short. But, this is a 'transfer' chapter. It's the transition between 'arcs' if you will. There's the 'Naruto's Return arc', 'Rescue Gaara arc' done, what I call 'Marking arc', and now the 'Sasuke Retrieval arc' done. The next arc…oooh boy it's gonna get pretty interesting. I have grand plans. :) Thanks for your patience guys. You truly are great! I'd like input so far on what you think of the series so far…and how many stars out of ten you'd give it! :) Thanks! (A hint for the new arc: TAILS. if you think you know what it is...hehe...good for you.)


	21. Note from the Author

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Dear Readers,

I thank you all SOOO much for your patience and understanding. It means so much to me to have all of you patiently waiting for the next chapters in the tales that I write. I realize that in several stories...it's been almost half a year since I've updated. I am sososososo SORRY! I have no resources to write chapters. My hard drive, including all my PAST chapters was wiped. My computer was taken away. And...I have writers block on alot of things. However, I'm purchasing a laptop, and soon chapters will be posting like crazy I hope. I'm about to move into my first apartment, and I'm working 12 hour days alot of the time, so most of the time all i can do is jot ideas in my notebook before passing out. Plus, I have a girlfriend who I do my best to make time for, though I don't get to see her too much courtesy of my hectic schedule. I ask, beg really, for a bit more patience. I realize it's been too long...but i will soon have this all fixed up and spinning back into motion soon enough. Thank you so much...ALL of you.


	22. SAD NOTICE

My Dearest Readers,

I do apologize for having left my fictions for so long. Sadly, despite my promises that these stories shall never be discontinued...they must be put on hold for a while longer. Yes, I had new chapters ready to put out for EACH and EVERY story...but that was before I unfortunately dropped and stepped upon my laptop. Yes, I actually did that, much to my chagrin. So I am laptopless, without any way to withdraw my stories from the broken ruin of a machine. And, the biggest thing... I am leaving. I am leaving to go to a Basic Training camp for an Emergency Rescue Training team. There, they have NO media, no laptops, and no internet or phones. I can only correspond through handwritten letters, but have no fear. I shall be buying several notebooks to fill in my spare time. When I get back, after 6 months to a year of training, I will finish writing and upload.

I know that it's a long time to wait. A VERY long time. . I hate the lack of computer, the lack of internet. But, I shall buy a new laptop and upload the chapters that I shall rewrite in my absence, and more. I apologize. So very much. I give you leave to flame me, and flog me, and draw and quarter me (via internet speech only :P)


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